Foodwise Summer

Summer food safety

It’s important to remember that as the temperature rises, so does the risk of food poisoning.

In fact, the most common bacteria associated with food poisoning is Salmonella, which typically spikes to almost double the number of cases in summer compared with the winter months.

Warmer weather, excess food sitting out for longer periods than usual and an abundance of leftovers, are just a few of the things that can lead to an increased risk of food poisoning during this time – particularly for those more vulnerable, such as the elderly, the young, pregnant women and those who are immune compromised.

Food poisoning can be more than just a stomach ache, it can be life threatening, especially for people with a weakened immune system. The good news is that keeping food safe can be quick and easy and for the most part, it’s all in your (washed) hands – the first step is to follow the four golden rules for keeping food safe.

The Food Authority has a wealth of information on its website about keeping food, yourself, and those you love safe - including preparing for an emergency by playing it safe and having food on hand that doesn’t need refrigeration or heating. Find out more about food safety during an emergency here.

Check out our food safety guide for summer eating here.

Emergency animal diseases and food safety

Australia has an excellent track record of preventing emergency (exotic) animal diseases from entering our country. What would happen if an emergency animal disease (EAD) outbreak did occur? Are there any food safety concerns resulting from an EAD outbreak?

What is an Emergency Animal Disease (EAD)?

An EAD is an animal disease that has the potential to cause substantial impacts to animal or human health, the environment, or the economy and is of national significance. Whilst there are several diseases considered as EADs, the top diseases of concern for food producing animals in Australia currently are foot-and-mouth disease, lumpy skin disease, African swine fever, and avian influenza.

What happens if an EAD is detected?

A detection of an EAD in Australia triggers a nationally agreed response structure. Affected states and territories are responsible for implementing EAD responses within their boundaries. This includes finding out where the disease is/where it has come from and controlling the spread so that the disease can be eradicated as soon as possible.

When an EAD is found on a farm, the farm is quarantined so that movement of animals, people and machinery on and off the farm is highly restricted. Any properties that are found to have animals that test positive for an EAD are classified as an infected premises. Depending on the disease, an area surrounding the farm may also be quarantined to restrict further movements and potential disease spread into and out of the area.

Should I be concerned about food safety during an EAD outbreak?

For diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, lumpy skin disease, African swine fever, and avian influenza there are no food safety concerns for humans, although these diseases would have a devastating impact on the agricultural industry. In the extremely unlikely event that infected products (meat, eggs etc.,) were able to enter the food chain, humans would not be affected by consuming or using these products.

Regardless of this, any animal that is infected with an EAD or with any links to an infected premises are not permitted to go into the food chain. This includes any animals that were transported off an infected premises within a certain period of time before the disease was detected. Generally, these animals will be humanely destroyed on-farm and disposed of either on-farm or at an appropriate disposal site.

To report a suspected EAD call the Emergency Animal Disease Watch hotline on 1800 675 888 or contact a vet.

Be vigilant with pest control as the weather warms up

Food businesses need to be extra vigilant in their pest control regime in summer - as pests are more likely to seek out food, water, and shelter in the warmer months.

Common pests such as rats, mice and cockroaches can carry bacteria and viruses that can contaminate food and food contact surfaces.

Practical pest prevention

The Food Standards Code requires food businesses to take all practicable measures to:

• prevent pests entering the premises, and
• eradicate and prevent the harbourage of pests on the food premises.

Measures to prevent entry of pests include:

• sealing all holes, gaps and cracks in walls, ceilings and floors
• installing and maintaining flyscreens to window and door openings
• keeping doors closed when not in use
• installing weather strips at the base of doors.

Measures to eradicate and prevent harbourage of pests include:

• regular checks for signs of pests
• maintaining the food premises and equipment in a clean condition (a cleaning schedule may assist)
• keeping food covered in sealed containers
• storing food, equipment and food containers off the floor
• keeping garbage storage areas clean and tidy
• removing rubbish regularly and ensuring external areas are clean and well-maintained
• removing unused equipment and fixtures from the premises
• implementing a suitable pest control program, which may require the services of a licensed pest controller.

Using a licensed pest controller

While using the services of a licensed pest controller is not a legal requirement, it can help you to demonstrate that you are taking all practicable measures to eradicate and prevent the harbourage of pests.

Read more in Pest control in food businesses on our website or watch our video: What to expect: Inspections for more.

Seafood Industry Forum

The NSW Seafood Industry Forum was held on 13 September 2023.

Issues considered by the Forum via video conference during the meeting included updates on:

• Seafood industry food safety compliance activities for the 2022-2023 financial year to date
• White spot response and program update
• Proposed new management measures for shellfish wet storage systems
• Biosecurity update.

A full summary of meeting outcomes is available here.

More information about the NSW Seafood Industry Forum, including its purpose, functions, and membership can be found on the NSW Food Authority’s website.

The next meeting of the NSW Seafood Industry Forum is to be advised.

Periodic review of the risk assessment: Dairy Food Safety Scheme

The risk assessment of the Dairy Food Safety Scheme undertaken this year, examined information sources including:

• foodborne illness reports and recall data in Australia attributed to dairy and dairy products
• international issues arising from human illness or perceived hazards linked with dairy and dairy products
• border detections for dairy and dairy products
• risk assessments of dairy and dairy products
• emerging issues in the farm to consumer continuum for dairy and dairy products relevant to health risk
• research findings related to hazards in dairy and dairy product production and processing
• baseline surveys of microbiological and chemical hazards in dairy and dairy products
• other relevant sources if identified during the above activities

The risk assessment concludes that regulations are still applicable to manage risk.

View the Dairy Food Safety Scheme: periodic review of the risk assessment, September 2023 (PDF 719KB, 74pp).

Egg Industry Consultative Committee

The last Egg Industry Consultative Committee was held on 16 August 2023.

Issues considered by the Committee via video conference during the meeting included updates on:

• egg industry food safety compliance activities for the 2022-2023 financial period
• animal welfare update, including updates on:
  - Poultry Standards & Guidelines
  - Livestock Standards & Guidelines
• biosecurity update.

A full summary of meeting outcomes is available here.

More information about the Egg Industry Consultative Committee, including its purpose, functions, and membership can be found on the NSW Food Authority website.

The next meeting of the NSW Egg Industry Forum is to be advised.

Food safety in horticulture

Fresh fruit and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet and horticultural produce is generally considered safe. However, foodborne illness, product recalls and other food safety incidents continue to be linked to fresh horticultural produce. Such events can be readily reduced through appropriate food safety measures.

Following an extensive review by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), in August 2022, Food Ministers approved 3 new primary production and processing standards for berries, leafy vegetables and melons. 

The new standards were added to Chapter 4 of the Food Standards Code, with a 30-month transition period for implementation, taking effect from 12 February 2025. 

The nationally consistent standards aim to strengthen food safety management on-farm and during initial processing to reduce food safety risks along the horticulture supply chain from farm to fork. The standards are specific to each commodity group to address their particular food safety risks, and contain requirements including notifying authorities, product traceability, managing safety of inputs, and worker and premises hygiene. 

To find out more, visit Food safety in horticulture (FSANZ webpage) and/or view their video: Introducing 3 horticulture standards for Australia 

Facilities licensed to provide food service to vulnerable persons

All facilities licensed under NSW Food Regulation to provide food service to vulnerable persons are reminded of their responsibility to only serve safe and suitable food to their patients, residents and customers.

Licensees are encouraged to check their Food Safety Program (FSP) to ensure it has appropriate controls in place for service of high-risk foods, and that the FSP is being complied with.

Menu design for food service to vulnerable populations  

Anyone with a suppressed immune system has a significantly higher risk of contracting a foodborne illness, such as listeriosis, when consuming high risk foods. Facilities need to take particular care when designing menus for vulnerable persons and selecting suppliers of ingredients. 

Facilities should check all menus against their Food Safety Program (FSP) to ensure there are appropriate food safety controls in place for any high-risk foods identified. If high risk foods are identified that do not have appropriate controls in place, these should be removed immediately from the menu and replaced with a suitable alternative.  

For example, instead of purchasing high risk pre-cooked shredded chicken, which has an extended shelf life for use in salads and sandwiches, a facility may prepare their own shredded chicken by: 

• freshly cooking chicken pieces to a minimum core temperature 75°C,  
• rapidly cooling in accordance with the 2-hour/4-hour rule,  
• shredding and storing under refrigeration in a sealed container marked with the date of production or a use by date 
• restricting time the product is out of refrigeration for sandwich or salad preparation to a maximum of 1 hour  
• using or discarding any product after 48 hours, including product already made into salads and sandwiches 
• maintaining cooking, cooling and salad / sandwich preparation and service monitoring records. 

Guidelines for Food Service to Vulnerable Persons (Guidelines) details the mandatory requirements of your FSP, as well as elements that will be looked at and assessed by authorised officers.

Facilities that use the Guidelines and can demonstrate compliance do not need to conduct any further validation of their menu design. 

Facilities that wish to use a food safety control that is different from those detailed in the Guidelines are required to appropriately validate their controls, document the controls in their FSP, and demonstrate that they are producing safe and suitable food via monitoring records. 

An example of suitable evidence is a packed-on date on the label or a specification in the food safety program for a ready-made salad that states the shelf life of the product is less than 7 days from the date of packaging and maintain monitoring records demonstrating that the shelf life is checked on receival and at service of the salad. 

For questions about menu design, implementing appropriate controls or for help in identifying high risk foods, please contact your auditor for assistance. 

Prosecution – L'Oven Bakery Supplies Pty Ltd and Company Director

A Granville bakery wholesale facility - L’Oven Bakery Supplies Pty Ltd, who supplies products to several retail outlets was recently prosecuted and fined $82,500 by the Food Authority after pleading guilty to 23 charges for offences under the Food Act 2003.

The same 23 charges were also put to the Company Director, pursuant to section 122 of the Food Act 2003 on the basis of executive liability. This person was also issued with $82,500 in fines after pleading guilty to all charges.

The offences related to hygiene, cleanliness, food storage, maintenance of premises, pest access and labelling of food products.

Operators of food businesses that are convicted of offences are published on the NSW Food Authority’s name and Shame register and remain on the register for a period of two years.

CEO of the NSW Food Authority Dr Lisa Szabo said “this really is a reminder for businesses to put some thought to upholding the highest food safety standards, if you do the wrong thing you will suffer the consequences.

“NSW consumers deserve to have confidence in knowing the food they purchase is safe to eat and will cause no harm to them or their family.

The Food Authority will continue to check for, and take enforcement action against, food businesses that fail to maintain their premises and equipment to a standard that ensures the safe production of food in NSW.”

Details of the L’Oven Bakery Supplies Pty Ltd and the Company Director prosecutions can be found on the NSW Food Authority’s Name & Shame register of Prosecutions.