The following checklist has been designed to assist food businesses to ensure they have adequate controls in place to prevent food becoming unsafe or unsuitable. Please note, this checklist is a guide only and information specific to your food business should be sought from an Environmental Health Officer or your Food Safety Auditor.
Food Receipt:
Only receive food from approved, registered food businesses
Keep a list onsite of all your food suppliers
Only accept frozen food if it is frozen solid
Accept cold food delivered below 5˚C
Accept hot food delivered over 60˚C
Only accept clean eggs, not broken or cracked
Only receive food in clean, intact and undamaged packaging
Check food delivery vehicles are clean and within required temperature
Check food is labelled correctly, according to Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) Code
Check food is within ‘best before’ or ‘use by’ dates
Keep a record of food receipt
Food Storage and Display:
Check frozen food is stored below -15°C and frozen solid
Monitor temperatures and keep a record of freezers, cold storage/display and hot holding unit temperatures
Check food is protected from contamination and chemical contamination during storage including:
Cover all foods that are exposed to contamination
Store ready to eat foods above or away from raw food
Store all foods off the floor
Store foods in clean, suitable storage containers
Check stock is being rotated on a first in, first out basis
Check food is within its ‘best before’ or ‘use by’ date
Check high risk foods are date labelled
Keep chemicals stored separate to food storage areas
Keep food storage areas clean
Check for pest activity regularly
Thawing:
Only thaw food in the refrigerator or microwave
Prepare food immediately after thawing in a microwave
Protect food from contamination during thawing
Check food is completely thawed before cooking
Food Preparation/ Other potentially hazardous food preparation:
Use tongs, scoops, clean gloves etc. to handle ready-to-eat food, to avoid touching food with bare hands (where possible)
Check all fruit, vegetables and herbs are washed in clean water before use
Only use clean eggs, not broken or cracked
Check raw and ready-to-eat foods are separated
Clean and sanitise equipment before each use
Clean and sanitise chopping boards, slicers, juicers etc. during food preparation
Never place ready-to-eat foods on an unclean surface
Follow the two hour/ four-hour rule for potentially hazardous food at room temperature
less than two hours: food may be returned to a safe temperature below 5°C and above 60°C)
more than two hours, but less than four hours: food must be used immediately or discarded.
more than four hours in total: food must be thrown out
Allergens:
Check staff are trained on allergens and ensure that they can provide accurate information to customers
Retain packaging from products that are not made on the premises or keep details of the package information
Provide information on food displays and menus to ensure customers are aware of the allergens
Train staff preparing food to be aware of cross contamination and foods that contain hidden allergens
Keep food in original packaging to identify allergens present
Have a process in place to ensure allergen-free food is provided to the correct customer
Cooking
Cook potentially hazardous foods to a core temperature of 75°C or above
Regularly check that the cooking process cooks the potentially hazardous food to 75°C or above
Use a sanitised thermometer to check this temperature
Cooling
Cool, cooked potentially hazardous foods from 60°C to 21°C within the first two hours and then from 21°C to less than 5°C within the next four hours
Hot/Cold Holding
Keep hot potentially hazardous food above 60°C
Keep cold potentially hazardous food below 5°C
Check ready to eat food on display is protected from contamination
Reheating
Reheat cooked, potentially hazardous foods, such as soups, stews, sauces, gravies etc, to a core temperature of 75°C or above
Transport
Check foods transported are protected from contamination by storing in suitable containers
Check temperatures of potentially hazardous foods are maintained below 5°C or above 60°C during transport
Cleaning/Sanitizing/Pests/Waste Disposal:
Maintain premises and all fixtures, fittings and equipment in a clean condition with no accumulation of garbage, recycled matter, food waste, dirt, grease or other visible matter
Clean and sanitise utensils and equipment before each use
Clean and sanitise other surfaces that food comes in contact
Follow the six steps to cleaning and sanitising
Pre-clean: Scrape, wipe or sweep away food scraps and rinse with water
Wash: Use hot water and detergent to take off any grease and dirt. Soak if needed
Rinse: Rinse off any loose dirt or detergent
Sanities: Use a sanitiser to kill any remaining bacteria (follow manufacturer’s instructions or Food Safety Program for chlorine solution)
Rinse: Wash off sanitiser (if required by manufacturer’s instructions)
Dry: Allow to air dry
Seal all pest entry and harborage points (small cracks, holes, crevices)
Keep doors leading outside closed when possible
Protect food handling areas from pest entry (sliding doors, insect traps, fly strips)
Keep food premises clean and store food in clean containers with tight fitting lids
Carry out regular inspections for pests and take corrective action when evidence of pests is found
Provide an adequate number of waste bins
Remove waste from the premises when the bin is near full or before
Cover bins with tight fitting lids when not in use
Regularly remove waste from the rubbish storage areas
Dispose of wastewater through the sewer (or septic system)
Do not dispose of wastewater via the storm water drain
Dispose of waste oil, so that it does not contaminate waterways or land. A contract with a waste oil collection company should be in place
Food Handler Hygiene/Health:
Advise and ensure food handlers to report gastrointestinal illness to their supervisor immediately and to:
Not engage in food handling whilst ill
Request advice from their medical practitioner when they are safe to handle food
Advise and ensure food handlers to cover cuts and wounds on hands and arms with brightly coloured, waterproof bandages and ensure a disposable glove is worn and changed regularly
Advise and ensure food handlers follow good personal hygiene practices:
Outer clothing is clean and appropriate for the food handling being conducted
Tie long hair back
Keep fingernails short and clean
Limit jewellery (e.g. plain banded rings or sleepers)
Do not wear uniforms outside
Store personal items (phones, etc) away from food preparation areas
Advise and ensure food handlers wash their hands:
Before commencing or re-commencing handling food
Immediately after going to the toilet
Immediately after smoking, coughing, sneezing, using a handkerchief or tissue, eating, drinking, or using tobacco or similar substance
Between handling raw and ready-to-eat food
After touching hair, scalp, body or face
Advise and ensure food handlers do not:
eat, sneeze or cough over unprotected food
spit, smoke or use tobacco in food preparation areas
undertake any other unhygienic practices such as touching their nose, mouth or hair during food preparation
Packaged Food Labelling / Recall:
Check pre-packaged food sold by the food premises is labelled in accordance with Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) Code labelling requirements
Be able to identify food recalled from sale, by keeping food in its original packaging or retaining the identifying information from the packaging
Remove from sale/isolate any affected food from a Food recall and clearly label this “not for use”
Manufacturers and Wholesalers:
Label packaged food in accordance with the Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) Code labelling requirements
Validate the expiry date, storage conditions and allergen declarations on food that you label through a food laboratory
Be able to identify batches and suppliers of affected food product in accordance with Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) Food Industry Recall Protocol
Have a food recall protocol on site at all times
Thermometer
Check you have a digital probe thermometer onsite at all times
Check thermometers are accurate by calibrating, (hot and cold temperature testing accurate to +/- 1.0°C)
Maintenance and Fixtures/Fittings/ Equipment:
Ensure the design, construction and space provided in the food premises is appropriate for the activities conducted in the business
Provide hand wash facilities that are always:
provided with warm water, liquid soap and paper towel at all times
adequate in size and designated for the sole purpose of washing hands, arms and face
easily accessible to food handlers at all times
Provide food contact surfaces of fixtures, fittings and equipment that are:
able to be easily and effectively cleaned and if necessary
able to be sanitised
unable to absorb grease, food particles and water
made of a material that will not contaminate food
do not allow for the harborage of pests
do not allow for the harborage of pests
Provide adequate lighting (natural or artificial) for activities conducted on the food premises
Provide sufficient ventilation (natural or mechanical) to effectively remove fumes, smoke, steam and vapours from the food premises
Provide an adequate supply of hot and cold potable water to the premises always
Provide additional handwashing facilities immediately adjacent to staff toilets
Regularly check the grease trap is not causing an odour and arrange for it to be emptied as necessary
