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Food Safety Programs |
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The vulnerable
population sector The vulnerable population sector A new Standard, Standard 3.3.1 was included into the Food Standards Code on the 5 October 2006. Standard 3.3.1 applies mandatory food safety programs to food businesses that process or serve potentially hazardous food to vulnerable persons. Businesses primarily included are hospitals, aged care, childcare centres and delivered meals organisations. The new Standard has a 2 year transition period, which means businesses identified by Standard 3.3.1 must develop and implement a FSP and have it audited by an approved auditor by 5 October 2008. During Nov 2006 the Department of Health has conducted information sessions for food business that serve vulnerable populations. The sessions explained the new Standard, discussed the Department of Health food safety program templates and provided an opportunity ask questions. The Department will conduct more sessions during 2007 (details will be posted on this site). Seafood processors that handle or transport bi-valve molluscs Standard 4.2.1, the Seafood Standard, mandates food safety programs for food businesses that process or transport bi-valve molluscs (oysters, mussels, cockles and similar). This Standard was included in the Food Standards Code on 26 May 2005 with a 2 year transition period. It will become enforceable on 26 May 2007. Food safety programs are proposed for caterers that undertake offsite catering and those that do large numbers (>50) in a function type setting. A new Standard, Standard 3.3.2, is being developed by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). FSANZ have conducted the first round of national public consultation. A second round of national public consultation is expected during 2007 with the new Standard expected to be introduced to the Food Standards Code in 2007 (probably with a 2 year transition). What is a food safety program (FSP)? A food safety program is tool that ensures food safety through the identification and control of hazards in the production, manufacturing and handling of food. Food Safety Standard 3.2.1 Food Safety Programs lists the requirements for a food safety program. This national Standard is only mandatory for food business sectors in South Australia where another Food Safety Standard applies it (only Standard 3.3.1 and Standard 4.2.1 at this time). Businesses in these sectors will be advised in writing by their local Council or the Department of Health that their business is required to implement a food safety program and have it audited by a Department of Health approved food safety auditor by 5 October 2008. This letter will advise the business’s initial audit frequency which is expected to be 6 monthly. Business will be required to undertake their first audit during the transition period and then a another audit within 6 months of the first. After these two audits the auditor may advise Council or Department of Health that audit frequency will change to more frequent audits in the case of poor performance or less frequent audits in the case of good performance. All businesses required to have a mandatory food safety program will require audit at least annually. Approved auditors will be listed on this website. The auditor must undertake the audit with consideration of any Department of Health guidelines and must provide the business and Council (or in some circumstances Department of Health) with an audit report in the prescribe format and within prescribe timeframes.
The Department of
Health will begin approving auditors in early 2007. Auditors will need
to apply on the prescribed Auditor Application form (not yet available),
include the prescribed processing fee and satisfy the auditor approval
criteria. The Food Act 2001 requires that only persons competent to
carry out the functions of a food safety auditor be approved. The
Department of Health is developing criteria for assessing competence.
This information will be posted on this site once released. To assist businesses the Department of Health, with industry support, has developed food safety program templates for the hospital, aged care and childcare sectors. These templates are a step by step tool that assists business to develop a food safety program. The templates were distributed on a Food Safety CD to all known businesses in the vulnerable population sector on October 2006. The Food Safety CD contains various other food safety resources and a Food Safety DVD titled Bug Busters was also sent as part of the package. The Department of Health food safety program templates can be down loaded here.
Food safety programs ‘Frequently asked questions - version 2’ Additions and amendments to Food Safety CD information
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