Search

Weather events

Weather events Grower and primary processors need to make sure produce that might have been damaged or contaminated from weather events is disposed of or treated so it is safe to eat. What are weather events? Weather events include drought, dust storms, floods, strong winds and hail storms, which can all contaminate produce. What are the requirements? Primary producers and primary processors of leafy vegetables and melons must take appropriate action to ensure that produce affected by a weather event is not unacceptable and is safe to eat. This means you need to understand the food safety risks, and what to do with your produce after these events, to prevent unsafe produce entering the food supply. These requirements are under primary production and processing standards for…

Published 1 October 2025

Notification

Notification If you’re a grower or primary processor of berries, leafy vegetables or melons, you must inform your regulatory authority of your business’s activities. What is notification? Notification means informing the relevant authority in your state or territory about your business activities and also updating them on any changes to your business. ‘Relevant authority’ means the state or territory government agency with legal authority to implement and enforce primary production and processing standards. ‘Activities’ means the things that your farm or processing facility usually does with berries, leafy vegetables or melons. Examples include: growing, harvesting, washing, trimming, sorting, sanitising, storing, combining, packing, and transporting produce between packhouses. What are…

Published 1 October 2025

Food safety requirements for melon growers and primary processors

Food safety requirements for melon growers and primary processors If you are a melon grower or primary processor, you may be subject to new food safety standards. Who needs to meet the requirements? The requirements will apply to all primary producers and primary processors of melons.

• A primary producer is a business that grows and/or harvests melons.
• A primary processor is a business that does any of the following: washing, sorting, trimming, sanitising, storing, combining and packing melons, and transporting melons between pack houses.

• an approved food safety management statement showing how risks…

  Published 1 October 2025

Washing and sanitising produce

Washing and sanitising produce If you are a primary processor of leafy vegetables and melons, you must ensure washing and sanitising processes work properly and do not make the food unsafe to eat. What does washing and sanitisation mean?

• Washing fresh produce removes any visible material such as dirt.
• Sanitisation is an additional process that reduces microorganisms on the surface of produce to a safe level, usually with a chemical (e.g. food grade bleach). Sanitisation must only be done after washing, because dirt can make sanitisers less effective.

Published 1 October 2025

Safe food for older people - advice for businesses

Safe food for older people - advice for businesses Older people have a higher risk of getting foodborne illness and suffering serious health complications from eating unsafe food. It is important for older people to enjoy a wide range of foods for good nutrition, but extra care must be taken to ensure their food is safe.  If you're a business that provides food to older people, basic steps you can take when selecting, preparing and providing food are outlined below. If that's your primary activity, you are likely to need a food safety program (see below, under Advice for Managers). Selecting and receiving safe food Always make sure the food you select or receive is from a trusted source, in good condition and at a safe temperature. Packaged food must be securely…

Published 30 September 2025

Notifying a self-substantiated food-health relationship

Notifying a self-substantiated food-health relationship FSANZ administers the notification of self-substantiated food-health relationships. FSANZ does not consider the merits of notified food-health relationships, and publication of a notification by FSANZ does not indicate acceptance, approval or validation of the relationship.    FSANZ recommends that food businesses contact their local enforcement agency before notifying a self-substantiated food-health relationship. See …

Published 19 July 2023

Health and hygiene of personnel and visitors

Health and hygiene of personnel and visitors You need to make sure all personnel and visitors follow good personal hygiene and health practices to keep your produce safe. Personnel (staff and contractors) and visitors can contaminate produce with harmful microorganisms, chemicals, or foreign matter from their hands, body, clothes or equipment. To reduce this risk, your business should set good personal health and hygiene practices and make sure they are followed. What are good health and hygiene practices? Good practices include:

• Washing hands before handling food, and after toilet and lunch breaks, or any other time hands may have become dirty.
• Avoiding sneezing, coughing, etc on food.
• Not attending work/ handling food while…

  Published 1 October 2025

Growing sites

Growing sites If you’re a grower of leafy vegetables or melons, you need to make sure the site you use to grow your produce does not make the food unsafe to eat. What is a growing site? A growing site is any site used to grow fresh produce. This includes open areas or fields, as well as partially or fully enclosed planting areas such as greenhouses and hydroponic facilities. What are the requirements? Primary producers of leafy vegetables and melons must do what they reasonably can to make sure their growing site does not make produce unacceptable to eat, from contamination with harmful bacteria, chemicals or physical hazards. This means you need to know about your growing site, what it was used for previously, what is happening nearby and what other potential sources of contamination…

Published 1 October 2025

Skills and knowledge for food handlers

Skills and knowledge for food handlers It's important your food handlers and their supervisors have the skills and knowledge to handle food properly so that it's safe to eat. What are the requirements? Under Standard 3.2.2 - Food Safety Practices and General Requirements, you must make sure the people who handle food, and their supervisors, have the skills and knowledge to keep food safe and suitable to eat. Additional requirements may apply to food service businesses that handle potentially hazardous food - see our information on Standard 3.2.2A Food Safety Management Tools. What training is needed? Formal training in specific courses is not…

Published 30 September 2025

Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) linked to eggs

Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) linked to eggs State and territory food regulators, health authorities and agriculture departments in Australia are investigating a rare strain of Salmonella (Salmonella Enteritidis) associated with human illness and egg consumption. Public health officials investigate Salmonella outbreaks using a nationally standardised questionnaire, and coordinate epidemiological investigation through OzFoodNet. DNA Genetic fingerprinting is performed on Salmonella bacteria isolated from ill people by using whole genome sequencing (WGS), which gives a more detailed DNA fingerprint picture than any other typing method. WGS performed on bacteria isolated from ill people showed that they were closely related genetically. This means that ill…

Published 2 October 2025