Food Safety Management Tools - Standard 3.2.2A

In December 2022 Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) added the new Standard 3.2.2A – Food Safety Management Tools into the Food Standards Code (the Code). The Standard is an extension of the existing Standard 3.2.2 requirements and introduces three food safety management tools for food service, caterers and some retail businesses. Here is a short video explaining the new Standard:

South Australia automatically adopts the Code meaning affected businesses must have the new requirements in place by the end of the transition period (December 2023).

SA Health is hosting a free virtual information session for affected businesses on 23 May 2023. Register your attendance here.

Does the Standard apply to my business?

The Standard applies to food business who are defined in the Standard as a category one or category two business.

Category one businesses

  • Handle unpackaged high-risk food and then serve it to the customer (or provide to another business to serve) as ready-to-eat food.
  • Make foods like salads, sandwiches, curries, pizza, sushi, meat dishes, pastas, soups.
  • Includes businesses such as restaurants, takeaways, bakeries, mobile food vendors, caterers and cafes.
  • Includes hospitals, child care centres, aged care facilities and delivered meal organisations that are captured under Standard 3.3.1.
  • Must implement all three tools as described below.

Category two businesses

  • Are retail businesses who minimally handle, but don’t make, unpackaged high-risk ready-to-eat food and sell it to consumers.
  • Include businesses such as delis, supermarkets, seafood retailers, some butchers, service stations and convenience stores.
  • Must implement the food handler training and food safety supervisor tools.

What are the tools/requirements?

The Standard has three tools. 

Category one businesses must implement all three tools. Category two businesses must implement tools 1 and 2 only.

Further information on the requirements of the Standard are available from FSANZ or speak to your food regulator.

1 — Food handler training

  • Businesses must make sure that before food handlers start handling high risk food they:
    • Complete a food safety training course in safe food handling, food contamination, cleaning and sanitising and personal hygiene (such as the free, online DoFoodSafely program)
      OR
    • Show that they know about and understand safe food handling, food contamination, cleaning and sanitising and personal hygiene.
    • Some food handlers may be able to show that they know and can apply food safety principles through prior experience and or training.
    • Businesses should be able to show food regulators how they know their food handlers have adequate skills and knowledge before they start working with high risk foods.

2 — Food safety supervisor

  • Businesses must appoint a person who has been certified as a food safety supervisor (FSS) within the last 5 years.
  • The FSS needs to be available to oversee day to day food handling operations, to help all food handlers to handle food safely and to make sure food safety risks are managed.
  • The FSS should have skills and knowledge in food safety, especially around high risk foods.
  • A list of organisations who offer food safety supervisor certification.

3 — Substantiation of (showing you’re managing) key food safety controls

  • Businesses need to show their food regulator that key food safety controls or “prescribed provisions” are being met.
  • The prescribed provisions involve temperature control and food processing controls for high risk foods, and cleaning and sanitising.
  • To show how a business manages food safety they can keep written or electronic records, make a note on an invoices, take photos and/or have written standard operating procedures (SOPs). Businesses can also use other ways to show their food regulator how the prescribed provisions are being met (e.g. physically demonstrating to the regulator) or by using a combination of methods.
  • If made, records must be kept for 3 months, records should include the date and potentially time the record was made.

Does the food safety supervisor certification expire?

Under the Standard certification as a food safety supervisor must occur at least every 5 years. Some RTOs may offer refresher re-certification whereas others may require the FSS to complete a new course every 5 years.

How often is food safety training required?

There is no specific timeframe for refresher food safety training for food handlers, but businesses need to make sure their food handlers have up to date food safety skills and knowledge. It’s recommended that businesses schedule regular food safety training refreshers for their staff, for example yearly.

Does my business need to keep a record of food handler training?

Not necessarily, but it is recommended so that business owners can easily see who has completed training and when. This can also be used to show your food regulator how you meet the food handler training requirements.

What are the prescribed provisions/what does my business need to keep records for?

Category one businesses must show they are complying with the requirements in Standard 3.2.2 for:

  • temperature control of food during receipt [subclause 5(3)]
  • temperature control of food during storage [paragraph 6(2)(a)]
  • using a pathogen reduction step (e.g. adequate cooking temperatures or pH) during food processing [paragraph 7(1)(b)(ii)]
  • minimising the time potentially hazardous food is out of temperature control during processing [subclause 7(2)]
  • cooling food within the specified timeframe [subclause 7(3)]
  • rapidly reheating food that is going to be hot held [subclause 7(4)]
  • temperature control of food during display [paragraph 8(5)(a)]
  • temperature control of food during transport [paragraph 10(b)]
  • cleaning and sanitising of food contact surfaces and equipment [clause 20]

Demonstrating to your food regulator how you’re meeting the prescribed provisions can include writing on templates, recording electronically, writing on invoices, keeping photos or videos, having a written instruction sheet or standard operating procedure and/or walking and talking through the process with your food regulator.

How will compliance with the Standard be monitored?

Your food regulator will monitor your business’ compliance with the Standard during routine food safety inspections or audits.

Resources

Your food regulator may have additional resources available.

Further information

Contact your Local council Environmental Health Officer or other relevant food regulators (PIRSA, Dairysafe).