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Animals

Animals If you're a food business, assistance animals must be allowed in areas open to customers. It's up to you to decide if you let pet dogs in outdoor dining areas and under what circumstances. What are the requirements? Under Standard 3.2.2 - Food Safety Practices and General Requirements, only certain animals are allowed in food premises:

• assistance animals must be allowed in customer accessed areas
• pet dogs may be allowed in outdoor dining areas
• live animals (except for seafood, other fish and shellfish) are not permitted in areas where food is handled
• contained cats and dogs may be permitted in aircraft cabins where food is served.

Published 30 September 2025

Storing food safely

Storing food safely If you're a food business, you need to keep food protected from contamination and at the right temperature so it stays safe to eat. What are the requirements? Under Standard 3.2.2 - Food Safety Practices and General Requirements, food businesses need to store food in a way that keeps it safe and suitable. If you are a food service business handling unpackaged, ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food, you may need to substantiate your food safety controls for storing food, under Standard 3.2.2A - Food Safety Management Tools. Reduce your risk

• keep storage areas clean, dry and free of pests
• use food-safe containers, covers and…

  Published 1 October 2025

Thermometers

Thermometers If you're a food business that handles potentially hazardous food, it's important to use a thermometer to check your food is at the right temperature to be sure it is safe to eat. What are the requirements? Under Standard 3.2.2 - Food Safety Practices and General Requirements, food businesses that handle potentially hazardous food need to have an accurate and accessible thermometer. This means:

• there is at least one thermometer somewhere easy to get to (e.g. in an unlocked drawer in the kitchen)
• the thermometer is accurate to within 1°C.

• A digital probe thermometer is usually best for measuring food temperatures. They are inexpensive and are available from…

  Published 1 October 2025

Review of food safety management standards

Review of food safety management standards Overall, Australia has a strong food safety management system in place which ensures a safe food supply. Despite this, foodborne illness continues to be a problem.  Food Ministers identified three priority areas to further strengthen the system. One of these priorities is to reduce foodborne illness particularly related to Campylobacter and Salmonella, with a nationally consistent approach. FSANZ is reviewing chapters 3 and 4 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) to ensure a consistent and current approach to through-chain food safety management in Australia. Requirements in chapters 3 and 4 only apply in Australia. More information

• As part of the review, an information paper was released in May 2019.…

  Published 30 September 2025

Application Handbook

Application Handbook The Application Handbook provides the essential information required to make an application to vary the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code). It provides background information on the Code and FSANZ's role, as well as practical information on the procedure for making an application to FSANZ to vary the Code. The Application Handbook was updated 1 October 2025 to incorporate changes to the way FSANZ charges for applications. …

Published 12 September 2022

Standard 3.2.2A- Food safety management tools

Standard 3.2.2A- Food safety management tools Food service, caterer and related retail businesses in Australia need to meet food safety requirements that came in December 2023.  What is Standard 3.2.2A?

• Standard 3.2.2.A is a national food safety standard and an extension of Standard 3.2.2 requirements.
• It applies to Australian businesses in food service, catering and retail sectors that handle unpackaged, potentially hazardous food that is ready to eat.
• Generally, these include caterers, restaurants, cafes, takeaway shops, pubs, supermarkets and delis, food vans and other facilities serving food.
• These businesses will implement either two or three food safety management tools, based on their food handling activities. The three tools…

  Published 1 October 2025

Food handler training

Food handler training Food service, caterer and related retail businesses in Australia need to meet food handler training requirements that came in December 2023. What are the requirements?  Standard 3.2.2A - 10 requires that each food handler who handles unpackaged, potentially hazardous food that is ready to eat, has, before engaging in that activity: 

• completed a food safety training course; or
• adequate skills and knowledge in food safety and hygiene to do that activity correctly and keep food safe. 

Published 1 October 2025

Food safety supervisor

Food safety supervisor Food service, caterer and related retail businesses in Australia need to meet food safety supervisor requirements that came in December 2023.  What are the requirements? Under Standard 3.2.2A - 11, category one and two businesses must: 

• appoint a certified food safety supervisor (FSS) before engaging in a 'prescribed activity'
  • the certificate must be from either a registered training organisation or an organisation recognised by the relevant food regulator
  • the certificate must have been obtained within the past 5 years
• ensure that the FSS is reasonably available to advise and supervise each food handler engaged in that prescribed activity. …

  Published 1 October 2025

Transporting food safely

Transporting food safely If you're a food business that transports food, you need to keep food protected from contamination and at the right temperature so it stays safe to eat. What are the requirements? Under Standard 3.2.2 - Food Safety Practices and General Requirements, food businesses must transport food in a way that keeps it safe and suitable.

• Safe transport means protecting the food from contamination and, if it is potentially hazardous food, keeping it at a safe temperature.
• This includes transport within a premises as well as to other places.
• If you are a food service business handling unpackaged, ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food, you may need to substantiate your food safety controls for…

  Published 1 October 2025

Food temperature and thermometers

Food temperature and thermometers The food safety standards specify that potentially hazardous foods must be stored, displayed and transported at safe temperatures and, wherever possible, prepared at safe temperatures. However, you can also use time, rather than temperature, to keep food safe. This method is explained under 'The 2 hour/4 hour guide'. Safe temperatures are 5°C or colder, or 60°C or hotter. Potentially hazardous food needs to be kept at these temperatures to prevent food-poisoning bacteria, which may be present in the food, from multiplying to dangerous levels. These bacteria can grow at temperatures between 5°C and 60°C, which is known as the temperature danger zone. The fastest rate of growth is at around 37°C, the temperature of the human body. The food safety standards also…

Published 1 October 2025