New food safety requirements will apply to school canteens, childcare centres, supermarkets, coffee vendors selling food, and boarding schools – effective 8 December 2024. There is free online training available for food handlers.
The Australian National Standard mandating staff training and risk management procedures has been applicable to most food businesses since 8 December 2023 (a year ago), however, some business types in NSW received a 12-month extension and now have just weeks left to prepare.
The rules 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 confectionary and cakes, are generally not captured.
Most outlets 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. Council offers a free online food safety training course (which can be accessed here) which is specifically designed to assist food handlers in developing the required skills and knowledge to ensure food is handled in a safe and hygienic manner. Approved training providers for supervisor training can be found here.
Higher-risk businesses must also be able to show they are managing key food safety risks.
Manager Planning, Building & Health, Francois Van Der Berg, said the National Standard aims to further prevent people becoming sick from eating unsafe food.
"Residents, visitors and workers in Leeton Shire demand a high level of food safety at the places they eat at every day.
"We know the vast majority of our local food businesses take food safety seriously. These new measures further strengthen practices and processes to ensure our consumers can continue to enjoy their food knowing it's safe to eat," he said.
Mr Van Der Berg said Council would take an educative approach with local businesses as they transitioned to the new requirements.
