Food Safety Programs
Some food businesses require a food safety program to reduce food safety risks. For example, onsite or offsite catering businesses, or when serving food to vulnerable persons in an aged care facility or in a childcare centre. A food safety program is accredited by your local council and council is responsible for determining the frequency of your audits. Audits are to be undertaken by an approved food safety auditor. Please contact an Environmental Health officer at Council to obtain information on how to engage with an approved auditor.
Do I need a food safety program?
Licensable food businesses must have an accredited food safety program if:
- the food business involves off-site catering, e.g. provides catering at events
- the primary activity of the food business is on-site catering
- the primary activity of the food business is on-site catering at part of the premises where they are catering to 200 or more people on 12 or more occasions in any 12 month period, e.g. convention centre
- the food business is carried on as part of the operations of a private hospital or otherwise processes or serves potentially hazardous food to six or more vulnerable people. For example: nursing home, childcare facility.
Other food businesses that are not required to have a food safety program may choose to apply for a voluntary accreditation of a food safety program.
What are the benefits of a food safety program?
Even if you don’t need to have an accredited food safety program, you can still create one for your food business. A food safety program will give you the tools and techniques to adopt best practices in food safety.
An appropriate and well implemented food safety program can help a food business:
- ensure food for sale is safe
- manage their operations better through improved record keeping and cost control
- demonstrate that all due diligence was exercised in the preparation and sale of food.
