New food safety requirements will apply from 8 December 2024

New Australian Government food safety requirements will apply to school canteens, childcare centres, supermarkets, coffee vendors selling food and boarding schools from 8 December this year.

The updated National Food Safety Standard 3.2.2A now requires all businesses processing potentially hazardous food or serving ready-to-eat food to:

• have at least one qualified Food Safety Supervisor
• ensure all food handlers have appropriate skills and knowledge in food safety and hygiene
• maintain records or otherwise demonstrate to authorised officers the business is safely receiving, storing, processing, displaying and transporting potentially hazardous food, and cleaning and sanitising.

It is important to note that the rules only apply to businesses that sell or serve ready-to-eat unpackaged food that needs to be kept hot or cold to stay safe. Packaged food and products like confectionery and cakes are generally not included in this regulation. 

The national standard mandating staff training and risk management procedures came into effect for most food businesses on 8 December 2023, however some business types in NSW  received a 12-month extension and now, as such, have just weeks left to prepare.

In order to be compliant most outlets will need to arrange formal Food Safety Supervisor training for at least one person in the business and ensure all food handlers have general food safety skills and knowledge.

Higher-risk businesses must also be able to show they are managing key food safety risks related to temperature control, food processing, and cleaning and sanitising, all of which are critical for food safety.

For more information, visit the NSW Food Authority website.