Standard 3.2.1 - Food Safety Programs
(Updated December 2007)
This standard sets out the requirements for the control of food safety hazards during the production, manufacture and handling of food. It applies to industry sectors identified as being high risk.
Standard 3.2.1 - Food Safety Program [ word | pdf ]
Food Safety Programs - A guide to Standard 3.2.1 Food Safety Programs [ word | pdf ]
Background to Standard 3.2.1
In August 2000, three of the national food safety standards were adopted into Chapter 3 of the Code for application in Australia only. These are:
- Standard 3.1.1 Interpretation and Application
- Standard 3.2.2 Food Safety Practices and General Requirements
- Standard 3.2.3 Food Premises and Equipment
These three standards have now been incorporated into state and territory law and therefore all food businesses must comply with these standards.
The fourth standard, 3.2.1 Food Safety Programs, was not adopted in August 2000 because governments wanted more work to be done on the costs and benefits of food businesses implementing food safety programs
While awaiting the outcome of the additional work on the costs and benefits of food businesses implementing food safety programs, Ministers agreed in November 2000 to gazette Standard 3.2.1 as a model standard. This was to allow states and territories that wanted to introduce a food safety program requirement for some classes of food businesses (earlier than being proposed nationally) to do so by adopting Standard 3.2.1.
In December 2003, when the work on costs and benefits of food safety programs was completed, the Australia New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council endorsed the
Policy Guidelines on Food Safety Management in Australia: Food Safety Programs (Ministerial Policy Guidelines). The guidelines identified those food businesses that should be required to have a food safety program as defined in Standard 3.2.1 based on the food safety risk they pose. The following four food industry sectors were identified as being high risk:
- food service in which potentially hazardous food is served to vulnerable populations;
- the harvesting, processing and distribution of raw oysters and other bivalves;
- catering operations serving food to the general public; and
- the production of manufactured and fermented meat.
In determining the businesses that should be required to have a food safety program, the following was referred to:
- data from a national surveillance system called OzFoodNet that keeps track of and reports on outbreaks of foodborne illness, its incidence in Australia and its causes;
- a report called Food safety management systems: costs, benefits and alternative (May 2002) that examined closely the costs for businesses in having a food safety program, the benefits for consumers of this approach and other systems that might deliver a similar level of food safety; and
- the findings of the National Risk Validation Project (May 2002) that identified the food handling sectors in Australia that posed the greatest food safety risk.
Who must comply with Standard 3.2.1 and by when?
High-risk sectors
In accordance with the Ministerial Policy Guidelines, FSANZ has developed standards requiring food safety programs in three of the four high-risk sectors identified above. A standard for the remaining high-risk sector, catering, is still under development. Further detail is provided below.
1. Food service in which potentially hazardous food is served to vulnerable populations
On 5 October 2006, FSANZ gazetted Standard 3.3.1 Food Safety Programs for Food Service to Vulnerable Persons. This standard requires food businesses that prepare food for service to vulnerable persons to implement a food safety program in accordance with Standard 3.2.1. This will normally include food businesses providing food to hospital patients, aged care residents and children in child care centres. It will also normally apply to businesses that deliver meals, that is, organisations that prepare food for delivery to vulnerable persons. Food businesses required to comply with this standard have until 5 October 2008 to have a food safety program in place.
2. The harvesting, processing and distribution of raw oysters and other bivalves
On 26 May 2005, FSANZ gazetted Standard 4.2.1 Primary Production and Processing Standard for Seafood, which is currently being implemented by the states and territories. This standard requires food safety management systems for the production and processing of raw oysters and other bivalves. To comply with the requirement for a food safety management system, businesses can comply with Standard 3.2.1. However, Standard 4.2.1 also lists other compliance options such as implementing the Codex Alimentarius Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system. HACCP and the Codex HACCP system are further explained on pages 13 to 17.
3. Catering operations serving food to the general public
FSANZ is currently working on a standard to require businesses that engage in certain off-site and on-site catering activities to develop and implement a food safety program in accordance with Standard 3.2.1. An advisory group comprising industry, government and consumer representatives is assisting FSANZ with this proposal (P290 - Food Safety Programs for Catering Operations for the General Public). When a standard is gazetted, food businesses covered by the standard will be required to have a food safety program in place two years from the date of gazettal.
4. The production of manufactured and fermented meat
On 26 November 2005, FSANZ gazetted requirements for producers of manufactured and fermented meats in Standard 4.2.2 Primary Production and Processing Standard for Poultry Meat and Standard 4.2.3 Production and Processing Standard for Meat. Producers of manufactured and fermented meats have two years to comply with these requirements, that is, 26 November 2007. These requirements do not require compliance with Standard 3.2.1. Businesses to which Standards 4.2.2 or 4.2.3 apply must develop a food safety management system in accordance with these standards and therefore need to refer to Standards 4.2.2 and 4.2.3.
Other food businesses
FSANZ is also developing other standards for the primary production sector. Within these standards primary production businesses may be required to implement a documented food safety program as defined in Standard 3.2.1 or this may be one of several options for implementing a food safety system. On 5 October 2006, Standard 4.2.4 Primary Production and Processing Standard for Dairy Products was gazetted. This standard begins on 5 October 2008. Dairy businesses to which this standard applies are required to implement a documented food safety program as defined in Standard 3.2.1. Primary production standards currently under development are those for the poultry and egg sectors. Standards will also follow for the meat and horticultural sectors.
Irrespective of this work, all food businesses in Victoria must already have a food safety program (except retail businesses selling low-risk pre-packaged food). For more information refer to www.health.vic.gov.au/foodsafety
Other jurisdictions may also require businesses to have HACCP-based food safety systems in placd. Therefore, all food businesses need to check with their local authority for the requirements that apply in the state or territory where the business is located.