Delivery check software to verify supplier temperatures and quality at receival. Record conditions, reject non-compliant items and keep FSANZ-compliant logs.
Check the supplier and paperwork (does the delivery match the invoice from an approved supplier), use-by and best-before dates, packaging integrity (no torn, leaking, swollen, or damaged packaging or dented cans), signs of temperature abuse or contamination, and the delivery temperature of any potentially hazardous food. In Australia this supports FSANZ Standard 3.2.2, which requires food to be protected from contamination and potentially hazardous food to be kept under temperature control on receipt.
As a widely referenced FSANZ benchmark, chilled potentially hazardous food should be received at 5°C or below. Anything above that has been in the temperature danger zone (5°C to 60°C), where food-poisoning bacteria multiply fastest. If chilled food arrives warmer, reject it unless the business can demonstrate that safety has still been maintained — for example, by knowing and controlling the total time it has been out of temperature control. This is general guidance; confirm the requirements for your business with your local regulator.
Hot, ready-to-eat potentially hazardous food should generally be received at 60°C or above, keeping it above the FSANZ temperature danger zone. If it arrives below 60°C, the safe course is to reject it unless you can show, using time-based controls, that it is still safe to use.
Frozen food should be frozen hard on arrival, with no signs of thawing or refreezing. Warning signs include soft or partially thawed product, pooled liquid or ice in the bottom of cartons, large ice crystals, and ice glaze on the inside of packaging. If frozen food shows these signs, reject it — thawing and refreezing can compromise safety and quality.
Generally no. Chilled potentially hazardous food above 5°C has been in the danger zone, so the safe default is to reject it and record the reason. The exception is where your business operates a documented time-based control and can demonstrate the food is still safe. Any decision to accept borderline stock should be documented with a corrective action.
Keep a receipt-of-food record for each delivery: the supplier name and business address, the date, the items received, and ideally invoice or batch references, plus delivery temperatures and any accept or reject decision. FSANZ Standard 3.2.2 requires a food business to be able to identify the supplier of food it has received, so these records underpin traceability, recalls, and audits.
One-step-back traceability means being able to identify who supplied the food you received. Standard 3.2.2 of the FSANZ Food Standards Code requires food businesses to be able to identify their suppliers, so that if a product is recalled or linked to a food safety incident, the source can be traced quickly. Keeping supplier and invoice details on every receiving record makes this straightforward.
An approved supplier program is a documented list of vetted suppliers together with specifications for what a compliant delivery looks like — expected temperatures, packaging, certifications, and documentation. Receiving staff check each delivery against the agreed specification before accepting it. It reduces risk from higher-hazard and ready-to-eat foods and strengthens your overall traceability.
FoodSafety HQ is built to help you meet your obligations under the FSANZ Food Standards Code — Chapter 3, including Standard 3.2.2. It validates delivery temperatures against chilled, frozen, and hot thresholds, structures the goods-in inspection, and keeps supplier-level receipt-of-food records for traceability. It is a tool to support compliance, not a substitute for legal advice — confirm your specific requirements, including whether Standard 3.2.2A applies, with your local council or state regulator.
Yes. FoodSafety HQ works on any tablet, smartphone, or computer with a web browser. Staff can select the supplier, run the receiving checklist, probe and record temperatures, categorise chilled, frozen, and hot items, and accept or reject the load right at the dock as goods arrive.