Who requires a food safety program?
Food businesses that are required to develop and implement a food safety program (FSP) are:
- If it involves off-site catering, as defined in section 17 of the Food Act 2006.
- If the primary activity is on-site catering, at the premises stated on the food licence, as defined in section 18 of the Food Act 2006.
- If the primary activity is on-site catering at part of the premises stated on the licence where they are serving 200 or more people on 12 or more occasions per year (e.g. a function room used for on-site catering and situated on the premises of a hotel.
- If the food business is carried on as part of the operations of a private hospital or otherwise processes or serves potentially hazardous food for six or more vulnerable persons. This includes:
- Hospital facilities including acute care, psychiatric, hospice, chemotherapy and renal dialysis facilities
- Age care facilities including nursing homes, respite care, same day aged care and low care aged care facilities
- Child care facilities including long day care, occasional day care and employer sponsored child care (does not include family day care).
Child care centres are required to have a food safety program if they prepare potentially hazardous food at their facility for six or more children to consume. Serving of meals which has been provided by parents/carers or heating of bottles does not require a food safety program.
Off-site catering means serving potentially hazardous food at a place other than the principal place of business. It does not include merely delivering food (i.e. pizza delivery or delivering a platter of sandwiches).
On-site catering means preparing and serving potentially hazardous food, to all consumers of the food at the premises from which the business is carried on, under an agreement of which the food is of a predetermined type, persons, time and cost. Examples include dedicated wedding reception venues, function halls or large hotels whose primary food business is on-site catering.
Other food businesses that are not required to have a FSP may apply for accreditation of their FSP. If they do so, they must have the program regularly audited and must comply with the FSP.
What must a food safety program contain?
The Food Act 2006 states that a program must:
- Identify food safety hazards that are likely to occur in food handling operations of the food business.
- Identify where each identified hazard can be controlled and the means of control.
- Undertake monitoring of the means of control.
- Provide for the appropriate corrective action when the identified hazard is not under control.
- Carry out regular reviews of the program.
- Keep appropriate records for the food business, including any action taken to ensure the business carries on in compliance with the program.
What are the benefits of a food safety program?
A food safety program is a proven system for managing food safely. It is a documented plan for making sure the food you sell is safe. An appropriate and well implemented food safety program can also help a food business demonstrate due diligence to produce and sell safe and suitable food.
How do I develop a food safety program?
There are various food safety program templates available to help you develop your program that is tailored to your food business. Food safety programs do not have to be developed by external consultants or contractors. Visit Queensland Health for further information.
Accreditation of food safety programs
Once completed, your food safety program will need to be assessed by council to ensure it meets the requirements under the Food Act 2006. This is a one off process called accreditation. Re-accreditation is only required if major changes are made to the food safety program.
To get your food safety program accredited, submit your Food Safety Program Application along with the copy of the program and with the relevant fee to council. Townsville City Council also requires the applicant to obtain written advice from an approved auditor as to whether the food safety program meets the requirements set out in section 104 of the Food Act 2006. Council will not proceed with assessing the application if written advice from an approved auditor is not attached to the application.
A list of approved Food Auditors are available from the Queensland Health website.
Once submitted you application will be assessed by council within 30 days. An Environmental Health Officer (EHO) will inform you whether your program has been approved.
What happens after my food safety program is accredited?
You must have your first compliance audit conducted by an approved auditor within six months of accreditation. You then must continue to have audits undertaken by an approved auditor at a frequency specified by council on initial accreditation.
A list of approved Food Auditors are available from the Queensland Health website.
Further Information