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Floods and food safety

Floods and food safety Floodwater can be contaminated with harmful microorganisms and poisons from sewage, animals, agricultural and industrial waste, and other substances that can cause illness. Any food, packaging, surfaces and cooking utensils that have come into contact with floodwater might be contaminated and unsafe. Water supplies might also be unsafe. There could also be a power outage with a flood, which could affect food refrigeration and cooking. Here are some tips to help you make sure your food will be safe to eat if there is a flood. Preparing at home If you know a flood could be coming and you are in an area that could be affected:

• Move food supplies and equipment to another area, away from the predicted flooding. 
• Store food on…

  Published 2 October 2025

Bisphenol A (BPA)

Bisphenol A (BPA) Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used in the lining of some food and beverage packaging to protect food from contamination and extend shelf life. It’s also used in non-food products. Small amounts of BPA can migrate into food and beverages from containers. For a number of years concerns have been raised that BPA exposure may cause health problems. However, when food safety authorities around the world have reviewed BPA they have generally concluded there are no safety concerns at the levels people are exposed to. In April 2023, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published a re-evaluation of the risks to public health from the presence of BPA in food. EFSA concluded the tolerable daily intake (or TDI) for BPA should be substantially reduced from the temporary value it had previously…

Published 26 June 2024

Food complaints

Food complaints In Australia, investigation of food complaints is undertaken by state and territory authorities or your local council. This is because the Food Standards Code is enforced and implemented in each state and territory by the relevant body. You can find contact details for each state and territory food enforcement agency here. Problems with food can include things like foreign material e.g. a bit of plastic in food or glass in cereal; or you might think a meal has made you sick. Thankfully problems like this are relatively uncommon but when they do occur Australia has a food recall system in place to deal with them. What should I do if I suspect a problem? Don't eat the food…

Published 2 October 2025

Cost Recovery Implementation Statement

Cost Recovery Implementation Statement Food Standards Australian New Zealand (FSANZ) recovers the costs of developing food regulatory measures.  FSANZ recovers costs associated with applications to vary the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) in two circumstances:

• the applicant has requested to have the consideration of the application expedited; or
• the application is to develop or vary a standard and the development or variation of the standard would confer an exclusive capturable commercial benefit on the applicant.

Published 4 July 2024

Apricot kernels (raw)

Apricot kernels (raw) The sale of raw apricot kernels is prohibited under the Food Standards Code. This is because they contain cyanogenic glycosides that can convert to a type of cyanide when eaten. There have been reports of cyanide poisoning from eating raw apricot kernels in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom and Europe. In 2011 a person in Queensland was hospitalised after eating raw apricot kernels with high levels of cyanide. At the time, FSANZ warned consumers not to consume raw apricot kernels. Another consumer was hospitalised after eating raw apricot kernels in Western Australia in 2014. FSANZ conducted a risk assessment on a number of foods containing cyanogenic glycosides and found only raw apricot kernels (both with and without skin) pose…

Published 2 October 2025

Listeria in food

Listeria in food What is it?

• Listeria monocytogenes (Listeria) is a type of bacteria commonly found in soil, water, sewage and the gut of animals
• Listeria can grow in cold conditions, even in refrigerated food

• Listeria can cause an illness called listeriosis
• Listeriosis is rare but for pregnant women, the elderly and people with weak immune systems the illness can be serious and fatal
• Listeria may cause pregnant women to miscarry or the baby can be born prematurely or stillborn
• Even a small amount of Listeria in food can cause illness
• Eating foods contaminated with Listeria is the most common way of contracting the illness. Listeria is tolerant…

  Published 2 October 2025

Microorganisms and foodborne illness

Microorganisms and foodborne illness Foodborne illness (or 'food poisoning') is caused by eating food contaminated with harmful microorganisms. Microorganisms are very small organisms you need a microscope to see, including:

• bacteria (for example Salmonella and Campylobacter)
• viruses (for example Norovirus and Hepatitis A virus)
• parasites (for example giardia and tapeworms).

Published 2 October 2025

Food safety in an emergency

Food safety in an emergency There are a few things to remember before, during and after and emergency to keep your food safe Before

• Have a supply of long-life items including milk, bottled water and canned goods. 
• Prepare eskies with ice bricks or gel packs to keep food cold if the power goes out.
• Keep a can opener handy.
• Don't forget about food for infants or pets.
• Store food somewhere above floodwater if there's a risk of flooding.
• Have a supply of drinking-quality water, detergent, bleach and alcohol-based hand sanitiser.

• Keep food cold, clean and check the label.
• Keep the fridge door closed as much as possible.
• A fridge should keep…

  Published 2 October 2025

Poultry liver dishes

Poultry liver dishes Poultry liver dishes are generally safe as long as they are prepared correctly. Foodborne illness outbreaks in Australia and overseas have been linked to poultry liver dishes such as paté or parfait where the liver was undercooked. Just like any other poultry (e.g. chicken, turkey or duck) meat, livers need to be cooked all the way through to kill harmful microorganisms (particularly Campylobacter) that may be present. Lightly searing the surface is not enough. In surveys of raw chicken meat in Australia, Campylobacter was found in 84 per cent of samples tested.…

Published 2 October 2025

Raw drinking milk

Raw drinking milk The pasteurisation of milk has been around since early 1900s and became standard practice in Australia in the mid-1950s. Pasteurisation is a process that heats milk to a specific temperature for a set period of time, killing bacteria responsible for diseases. It is a valuable public health tool. During a proposal that looked at allowing the production of a greater range of raw milk cheeses, FSANZ assessed the risks associated with raw drinking milk. 

• Read our risk assessment

Published 2 October 2025