NSW Food Authority 5th Anniversary Review

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OUR PARTNERS Working closely with government, councils and industry & business Maintaining close working relationships with our partners allows us to take a consultative approach to food regulation. Government The Authority works closely with other government agencies to monitor food safety compliance, manage foodborne illness outbreaks, implement nutrition policy and participate in healthy food promotions. Our government partners include NSW Health, Industry & Investment NSW, the NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water, FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand), AQIS (Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service) and the NSW Office of Fair Trading. We also enjoy international partnerships with world governments and the planning/advisory committees of major events such as the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Rugby World Cup, 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, World Youth Day, South East Asian Games (Laos 2009) and the Shanghai 2010 World Expo. Under the FRP, each council now has a more defined role as a food safety enforcement agency. This includes making regular inspections and responding to food related emergencies. Councils help the Authority to monitor and regulate more than 36,000 food retail and food service businesses across New South Wales. To manage the new consultative arrangement between the Authority and local government, the Food Regulation Forum was established in July 2008. It aims to assist, evaluate and advise the Authority on the best way to share regulatory functions between the two partners. Industry & business The Authority enjoys ongoing relationships with primary producers, manufacturers, processors, wholesalers, distributors and retailers across the food chain. This helps us maintain a consistent approach to food safety and plan effectively for the future. These relationships have been built through five years of collaboration and interaction. 12 Councils Our partnership with local government is crucial to us achieving our regulatory objectives as we administer and enforce aspects of the Food Act 2003 (NSW) and the Food Standards Code. A key focus for us during our first five years was the development of the Food Regulation Partnership (FRP), which became fully operational in 2008. The FRP sees the 152 local councils across the state working more closely with the Authority to monitor food and safety compliance issues. We also work closely with all the key food industry groups and associations in NSW, helping them to communicate regulatory requirements to their members and maintain and improve food safety standards. Most recently, we established a new partnership with the food retail and foodservice sector which now has a voice thanks to the creation of the Food Retailers and Food Service Advisory Group. This group meets in conjunction with the Food Regulation Forum three times a year.
Peace of mind NSW Food Authority Annual Report 2007-08 Doner kebabs If not made hygienically, doner kebabs can pose a food safety risk for customers because some of the ingredients are capable of allowing the rapid growth of disease-causing bacteria. Food businesses must ensure the food they sell is safe and properly handled. A profile of the NSW Food Authority Making kebabs safely Keep everything clean • Wash hands in a proper hand washing facility whenever they are a likely source of contamination (such as after hanging a kebab block). Mission To ensure that food in NSW is safe and correctly labelled and that NSW consumers are able to make informed choices about the food they eat. Australia’s first completely integrated food agency • Cover food in the refrigerator. Control temperature next day provided it is cooled to less than 21°C within two hours from when cooking stops, and then to 5°C or less within the next four hours. Monitor temperatures with a probe thermometer. A quick • It is easy to contaminate kebab ingredients such as hommus, tabouli and cheese. Only use such ingredients if they are properly refrigerated (at or below 5°C), packaged and labelled with date marks. way to bring the temperature down is to put the meat in the freezer. Before serving the meat, reheat it on a grill until it is above 60°C. • If you thaw frozen kebab meat before cooking, thaw it under refrigeration. • • • • Prevent contamination of food Keep fresh minced meat for making kebabs under refrigeration until ready for use. Refrigerate freshly made kebab meat while it is setting. Keep raw and cooked food separate. Remember to wash your hands thoroughly in hot Store potentially hazardous food, including dairybased sauces, at or below 5°C. Check with a thermometer. soapy water and dry them before preparing food and after touching raw meat, especially chicken, and • other raw foods. • The bacteria that cause food poisoning grow Thoroughly clean all utensils, equipment, surfaces and tea towels after preparing raw food and before contact with other food. between 5°C and 60°C — the temperature danger zone. Potentially hazardous foods that have been in the temperature danger zone for more than four hours must be thrown out. Keep cold food in the • Store raw meat, chicken and seafood at the bottom of the fridge so it can’t drip onto other foods. • Keep pets and animals out of the kitchen. • • fridge until you are ready to cook or serve it, and serve hot food steaming hot. NSW Food Authority Annual Report 2007- The NSW Food Authority is the government organisation that helps ensure NSW food is safe and correctly labelled. Do not overload refrigerators as this reduces cooling It works with consumers, industry and other efficiency. government organisations to minimise food poisoning Cook thoroughly by providing information about the safe production, storage, transport, promotion and preparation of food. • Start cooking the kebab immediately after removing it from cold storage. • Ensure meat sliced from the kebab is properly • visit the NSW Food Authority’s website at cooked. Once cooked, keep above 60°C until served. www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/industry Use a thermometer to check temperatures. • Refer to science factsheet Listeria monocytogenes • Best practice is to use a second cook step by heating • phone the helpline on 1300 552 406 the cooked, sliced meat on a hot plate or grill just before serving. Note • At the end of the day, it is best practice to throw out any uncooked or partially cooked meat left over at the core of the kebab block. Any leftover kebab meat that has been fully cooked may be used the Do not handle food if you have symptoms of a foodborne illness (see related factsheet Health and hygiene requirements of food handlers) About the NSW Food Authority More information Left to right: Annual Report Industry factsheet Profile brochure Tel: 1300 552 406 Email: contact@foodauthority.nsw.gov.au This information is a general summary and cannot cover all situations. Food businesses are required to comply Fax: 02 9647 0026 Internet: www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au with all of the provisions of the Food Standards Code and the Food Act 2003 (NSW). NSW/FA/FI019/0904 13
Page 1 and 2: NSW Food Authority 5th Anniversary
Page 3 and 4: Our Minister The NSW Food Authority
Page 5 and 6: THE NSW FOOD REGULATION FRAMEWORK F
Page 7 and 8: Remember Be prepared NSW Health, Fo
Page 9 and 10: Check eggs Food allergy and intoler
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Page 15 and 16: Victoria. proposed. Meat seafood P4
Page 17: Our goal is simple but ambitious: S

NSW Food Authority 5th Anniversary Review

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