image of a cafe / bar
New requirements are being introduced across Australia to improve food safety. If your food business is captured under the standard, you will need to comply with the new requirements by 8 December 2023.

Will I be impacted by the new standards?

If your business handles PHF* (e.g. meat, dairy, eggs, cut fruit/veggies, tofu, cooked rice/pasta) and provides it as 'ready to eat' PHF, your business will need to comply with the new standard. The requirements vary by business type and are split into 2 categories.

*PHF (Potentially Hazardous Food) = foods to be kept in the fridge <5°C (or kept hot >60°C) for food safety.

  • Category 1: businesses that handle and provide unpackaged high-risk ready-to-eat foods. For example, cafés, restaurants, canteens or caterers.
  • Category 2: businesses that only minimally handle unpackaged high-risk food (such as: slicing, weighing, repacking, reheating or hot-holding). For example: a service station which receives chilled pies and sandwiches which are displayed in a hot or cold display unit, or a supermarket deli which slices and packs cold meats.

What is required?

The new Standard contains three tools/requirements to manage food safety.

 

Category 1

Category 2

  1. Food Handler Training

Yes

Yes

  1. Food Safety Supervisor

Yes

Yes

  1. Show that your food is safe

Yes

Not Applicable

  1. What food handler training is required?

Basic food safety training is required for all food handlers in Category 1 and 2 businesses. The City provides free FoodSafe Online training to our local businesses. This course is sufficient to meet this requirement.

This FoodSafe Online course costs $35. Use the discount code FSARMAD312 at checkout to have the training discounted to $0: www.ehawa.org.au/products/foodsafe-products/foodsafe-online

  1. What food safety supervisor training is required?

Food Safety Supervisors (FSS) Category 1 and 2 businesses will need to appoint at least one FSS. A FSS must be reasonably available to advise and supervise the food handlers when they are handling unpackaged high-risk ready-to-eat foods. A FSS will be required to take a FSS training course delivered by a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and the certification must be refreshed every 5 years. RTOs that deliver the FSS course are listed here: www.health.wa.gov.au/Articles/F_I/Food-Safety-Supervisor-Training-Course

  1. How do I show that our food is safe?

This is a record keeping requirement. Category 1 businesses must show that food safety controls are being managed by keeping records. This includes:

  • Temperature control records (food display, storage and receipt);
  • Cleaning / sanitising records and;
  • Food processing records.

Find record keeping templates examples here. The records must be kept for a minimum of 3 months. 

Information sheets

For more information

Page Last Reviewed 7 August 2023