A practical guide to colour-coded chopping boards for Australian kitchens: what each colour means, why they prevent cross-contamination and how to clean…
Colour-coded chopping boards assign a different coloured board to each food group so staff have a fast visual way to keep raw and ready-to-eat food apart — the core of preventing cross-contamination. A common scheme uses red for raw meat, blue for raw seafood, yellow for raw poultry, green for salad and fruit, brown for cooked food and white for dairy and bakery. The colours themselves are not set by law, but the underlying separation generally is. Key takeaways: A common system uses red (raw meat), blue (raw seafood), yellow (raw poultry), green (salad and fruit), brown (cooked food) and white (dairy and bakery), with purple increasingly used for allergen-specific prep.. The colours are a tool, not a legal requirement — the underlying rule is keeping raw and ready-to-eat food and equipment separate.. One board per food group stops harmful bacteria transferring from raw food to food that won't be cooked again.. Colour-coding only works if boards are cleaned and sanitised between uses and replaced when badly scored or warped.. Put the system on the wall as a chart and train every food handler on it, including casuals and agency staff.. What do the chopping board colours mean? There is no single legally mandated colour scheme in Australia, and schemes do vary between suppliers and kitchens. That said, most commercial kitchens use a widely recognised system built around one colour per food group, which makes it obvious at a glance whether a board is being used correctly and reduces mistakes during a busy service. The key is to choose one scheme, document it and make sure everyone follows the same one. Red — raw meat (beef, lamb, pork). Blue — raw fish and seafood. Yellow — raw poultry (chicken, turkey, duck). Green — salad, fruit and vegetables. Brown — cooked meat and ready-to-eat food. White — dairy and bakery. Purple — increasingly used for allergen-specific preparation (optional but recommended). Why colour-coding prevents cross-contamination Raw meat, poultry and seafood can carry harmful bacteria such as Salmonella, Campylobacter and E. coli. If the same board is used for raw chicken and then for salad that won't be cooked, those bacteria can transfer straight to food that goes to the customer as-is. Cross-contamination between raw and ready-to-eat food is one of the most common contributors to foodborne illness, so keeping them on separate boards removes a major risk. Keeps raw, high-risk food away from ready-to-eat food. Removes the guesswork about which board was last used for what. Makes correct practice the easy, visual default under pressure. Helps demonstrate a working control to an auditor or council environmental health officer. What the Food Standards Code actually requires The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code does not specify board colours. What it generally requires is that food businesses take all practicable measures to prevent the contamination of food, and that equipment and surfaces are kept clean and, where necessary, sanitised. Colour-coded boards are one practical, well-understood way to meet those obligations — but a kitchen could meet them another way, such as dedicated prep areas or thorough clean-downs between tasks. Requirements and how they are enforced can vary, so confirm expectations with your state or territory food regulator and local council. Standard 3.2.2 generally requires preventing the contamination of food and keeping equipment clean and sanitised. Standard 3.2.2A requires many food service, catering and retail businesses to use food safety management tools and be able to show controls are working. Colour-coding is a recognised method, not a legal mandate — confirm what applies to you with your state or territory regulator and local council. How to implement the system in your kitchen A colour system only works if it is set up clearly and everyone follows it. Decide on your scheme, buy enough boards so staff never have to 'borrow' the wrong colour, and make the rules visible where prep happens. Storing boards in a colour-order rack and displaying a wall chart keeps the system self-explanatory for new and casual staff. Buy several boards per colour so there is always a clean one available. Put a laminated colour chart on the wall above prep benches. Store boards upright in a rack, separated by colour, not stacked. Include the system in induction and refresher training for all food handlers. Match knives, tongs and containers to the same colours where practical. Colour-coding and allergen cross-contact Cross-contamination isn't only about bacteria — traces of an allergen carried from one board to another can cause a serious reaction in a sensitive customer. Many kitchens add a purple board (and matching purple utensils) dedicated to preparing food for allergen-aware orders, kept scrupulously clean and stored separately. Standard 1.2.3 requires certain allergens to be declared, and preventing allergen cross-contact supports that duty. A dedicated board does not replace checking ingredients and cleaning thoroughly, but it adds a clear visual safeguard. Use a dedicated (commonly purple) board and utensils for allergen-aware preparation. Clean and sanitise thoroughly before allergen prep — visible cleanliness is not the same as allergen-free. Store allergen-prep equipment separately so it can't be grabbed for general use. Still verify ingredient labels; a board colour is a backup, not the whole control. Cleaning and sanitising between uses Colour-coding does not replace cleaning — boards still need to be cleaned and sanitised between different foods and whenever they are visibly soiled. Cleaning removes food and grease; sanitising then reduces bacteria to a safe level. Follow a two-step process and give any sanitiser its full contact time before the board is used or put away. Scrape off food debris, then wash in hot water with detergent. Rinse, then apply a food-safe sanitiser and leave for the label's stated contact time. Air-dry where possibl
How to use a colour-coded board correctly
Choose the board that matches the food group — for example red for raw beef, green for salad. If you're unsure, check the wall chart before you start.
Use a board that has been cleaned and sanitised, not one sitting on the bench from an earlier task. When in doubt, take a fresh one.
Finish one food group and clear the board before switching. Don't prep raw poultry and ready-to-eat food alongside each other where debris or juices can spread between them.
Scrape, wash in hot detergent water, rinse, then sanitise for the product's full contact time — or run the board through a hot dishwasher cycle.
Return boards to a rack upright and separated by colour so the next person can grab the correct one quickly and boards dry properly.
Frequently asked questions
Are colour-coded chopping boards a legal requirement in Australia?
Generally no — the Food Standards Code does not mandate specific board colours. What it usually requires is that businesses prevent food contamination and keep equipment clean and sanitised. Colour-coding is a widely used, practical way to meet that, but you can use other methods. Confirm what your state or territory regulator and local council expect, as requirements can vary.
What are the standard chopping board colours?
A common system uses red for raw meat, blue for raw seafood, yellow for raw poultry, green for salad and fruit, brown for cooked food, and white for dairy and bakery, with purple often added for allergen prep. Schemes vary between suppliers and kitchens, so pick one system, document it and make sure every food handler follows the same one.
Do I still need to clean the boards if I use colours?
Yes. Colour-coding keeps food groups on separate boards, but each board still has to be cleaned and sanitised between different foods and whenever it's visibly soiled. Wash in hot detergent water, rinse, then sanitise for the product's full contact time, or run boards through a hot commercial dishwasher cycle. The colour is a visual aid, not a substitute for cleaning.
Which board should I use for cooked meat?
In the common scheme, cooked and other ready-to-eat food is prepared on the brown (or sometimes white) board, kept well away from the red and yellow boards used for raw meat and poultry. The key point is that cooked food, which won't be cooked again, never shares a board with raw food unless the board has been fully cleaned and sanitised first.
Is there a chopping board colour for allergens?
Purple is the colour most kitchens use for allergen-aware preparation, often with matching purple utensils kept separate from general equipment. It gives staff a clear visual signal, but it doesn't replace checking ingredient labels and cleaning thoroughly, since allergen traces can transfer even from a board that looks clean. Standard 1.2.3 also requires certain allergens to be declared.
When should a chopping board be replaced?
Replace a board once it has deep knife scoring, cracks, splits or warping that stop it being cleaned to a smooth, hygienic surface. Those grooves trap food and bacteria and can't be reliably sanitised. Check boards during your regular cleaning schedule and retire any that can no longer be brought fully clean, replacing like-for-like so the colour system stays complete.