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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.

Published December 2023

Cooling and reheating food

Cooling and reheating food When cooling or reheating food, it's important to do it right to keep it safe from harmful microorganisms and toxins that can cause food poisoning. What are the requirements? Under Standard 3.2.2 - Food Safety Practices and General Requirements, food businesses must make sure potentially hazardous food (like egg or meat dishes) is cooled or reheated quickly so harmful microorganisms don't get a chance to grow to unsafe levels. Reheating If you are reheating potentially hazardous food to hot hold, you must heat it quickly to 60°C or hotter - ideally in two hours or less. Cooling When cooling cooked potentially hazardous food, it must be cooled from 60°C to 21°C in two hours or less, then…

Published December 2023

Labelling review recommendation 34 - irradiation labelling

Labelling review recommendation 34 - irradiation labelling (May 2017) The Food Standards Code currently states that when a food or food ingredient has been irradiated, it must be labelled that it has been treated with ionising radiation. This requirement applies to packaged and unpackaged irradiated foods, when sold to consumers. In 2011 an independent review of labelling recommended that the requirement for mandatory labelling of irradiated food be reviewed. In their response to the recommendation, ministers responsible for food regulation stated that it was timely to review the need for the mandatory labelling of irradiated food, and assess whether there is a more effective approach to communicate the safety and benefits of irradiation to consumers.…

Published February 2024

Labelling review recommendation 40 - country of origin labelling

Labelling review recommendation 40 - country of origin labelling   In 2011, an independent review of food labelling recommended that Australia's existing mandatory country of origin labelling (CoOL) requirements for food be maintained and be extended to cover all primary food products for retail sale (recommendation 40). In response, ministers responsible for food regulation asked FSANZ to continue an existing proposal that would extend CoOL requirements to unpackaged beef, veal, lamb, hogget, mutton and chicken and to develop a further proposal to extend CoOL to all…

Published February 2024

Labelling review recommendations 6 and 47

Labelling review recommendations 6 and 47   (May 2017) In 2011, an independent review of food labelling included two recommendations relating to food safety labelling elements and the labelling of food allergens. Recommendation 6 was that the food safety elements on the food label be reviewed with the aim to maximise the effectiveness of food safety communication. Recommendation 47 was that warning and advisory statements be emboldened and allergens emboldened both in the ingredients list and in a separate list. In response to recommendation 6, ministers asked FSANZ to undertake a technical evaluation…

Published February 2024

Technical evaluation for recommendation 13 (trans fatty acids)

Technical evaluation for recommendation 13 (trans fatty acids) (May 2017) In December 2014 FSANZ completed an evaluation of a labelling review recommendation on trans fatty acids (TFAs) and provided advice to ministers. Ministers considered the FSANZ advice at a meeting on January 30 2015. The labelling review had recommended that: mandatory declaration of all trans fatty acids above an agreed threshold be introduced in the Nutrition Information Panel if manufactured trans fatty acids have not been phased out of the food supply by January 2013. In their response to the recommendation,…

Published February 2024

Truth in labelling, weights and measures and legibility

Truth in labelling, weights and measures and legibility Truth in labelling Fair trading laws and food laws in Australia and New Zealand require that labels do not misinform consumers through false, misleading or deceptive representations. In Australia, this legislation includes the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) contained in the Competition and Consumer Act 2010, and state and territory Fair Trading Acts and Food Acts. In New Zealand, this legislation includes the Food Act 2014 and Fair Trading Act 1986. In Australia, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) enforces the Competition and Consumer Act 2010. In New Zealand, the Commerce Commission is responsible for enforcing the Fair Trading Act 1986. Name or description of the food Foods must be labelled with an accurate name or description…

Published December 2023

Folic acid - monitoring folic acid fortification

Folic acid - monitoring folic acid fortification

Published December 2023

Food for special medical purposes

Food for special medical purposes (June 2016) Food for special medical purposes is used to manage the diets of people with certain diseases, disorders or medical conditions. These special foods are intended for people whose nutritional requirements cannot be met by normal foods. Food for special medical purposes can include formulated dietary products intended for use as the only source of nutrition, and also some formulated products that can supplement a person's food intake. Some of these products can be taken orally, whereas others need to be taken through a feeding tube (e.g. a naso-gastric tube). They are to be used under the supervision of a medical practitioner and other appropriate health professionals. Regulation Standard 2.9.5 of the…

Published February 2024

Iodine in food and iodine requirements

Iodine in food and iodine requirements (June 2016) Iodine is in many foods, but much of the Australian and New Zealand food supply is now low in iodine, which has led to widespread iodine deficiency. The table below is a guide to the iodine content of various foods. However, the actual iodine content of food will vary depending on where it is grown and how it is made. Approximate iodine content of various foods Food micrograms of iodine per 100 g micrograms of iodine per serve serve size Oysters 160 144 6 oysters - 90g Sushi (containing seaweed) 92 92 1 sushi roll - 100g Canned salmon 60 63 1 small tin - 105g Bread (except organic bread) 46 28 2 slices bread -60g…

Published December 2023