Food Safety Programs in Australia: What They Are, Who Needs One, and How to Write One

A food safety program is a written plan that sets out how your business keeps food safe — the hazards you could face, the controls you use to manage them, how you check those controls are working, and the records you keep to prove it. In Australia, whether you are legally required to have a documented food safety program depends on your state or territory and your type of business: some higher-risk businesses must have one, while many food businesses instead meet the general requirements of the Food Standards Code (Standards 3.2.2 / 3.2.2A ) without a full program. Always confirm your obligation with your state or territory food authority and local council. What is a food safety program?. A food safety program is a systematic, written approach to managing food safety. A typical program: Identifies the hazards reasonably likely to occur at each step of your process — receiving, storage, preparation, cooking, cooling, display and service. Sets the controls that prevent, eliminate or reduce each hazard (for example temperature control, cleaning and sanitising, and separating raw from ready-to-eat food). Says how you monitor each control — what, how, when and who. Sets corrective actions for when something goes wrong. Describes verification — how you confirm the program is working. Lists the records you keep. Most programs are built on HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) principles. Do you need a food safety program? (it depends). This is the question most people are really asking, so here is the honest answer: it depends on your state or territory and your business's risk classification. Some businesses are required to have a documented program — commonly higher-risk activities and businesses serving vulnerable populations (for example certain food service to hospitals, aged care and childcare). Standard 3.3.1 sets food safety program requirements for food service to vulnerable persons. Many general food businesses instead comply with Standard 3.2.2 / 3.2.2A — skills and knowledge, temperature control, cleaning and, under 3.2.2A, a Food Safety Supervisor, food-handler training and substantiation — without a full documented program. Because the rules vary by jurisdiction, confirm what your business must do with your state or territory food authority and your local council before relying on this page. FoodSafety HQ helps you build and run a program — it supports your obligations but does not decide them. What goes in a food safety program. A program works through your process step by step. A simple version looks like this: Step Typical hazard Control Monitor with Receiving Unsafe temperature, damage, out of date Check temperature, packaging and use-by; reject non-compliant stock Delivery log Cold storage Bacterial growth Keep at 5°C or colder; cover, label and date; rotate (FIFO) Fridge log Preparation Cross-contamination, allergens Separate raw and ready-to-eat; clean and sanitise; allergen controls Cleaning log / allergen matrix Cooking Survival of pathogens Cook high-risk food to 75°C in the thickest part, or an equivalent time/temperature Cooking log Cooling Bacterial growth and toxins 60°C to 21°C within 2 hours, then 21°C to 5°C within the next 4 hours Cooling log Hot holding / display Bacterial growth Hold at 60°C or hotter, or use the 2-hour/4-hour rule Hot-hold log Alongside these steps, most programs include supporting programs: cleaning and sanitising, pest control, approved suppliers and traceability, allergen management (PEAL), training and supervision, maintenance and calibration, and waste. How to write a food safety program, step by step. Map your process from delivery to service. List the hazards at each step — biological, chemical and physical. Decide the controls and your critical limits (for example the safe temperatures above). Set monitoring — what you will check and record, and how often. Set corrective actions — what you do when a check fails. Add your supporting programs — cleaning, pest, suppliers, allergens and training. Decide your records and keep them consistently. Review the program when your menu, equipment, suppliers or processes change, and periodically. You do not have to start from a blank page. Download our free Food Safety Plan generator , or grab the editable template below. Food safety program vs food safety plan vs HACCP. Food safety plan / program — often used interchangeably for the documented system described above. HACCP — the internationally recognised method (seven principles) many programs are built on. See our HACCP guide . Standard 3.2.2A tools — the Food Safety Supervisor, food-handler training and substantiation obligations that apply to many food-service businesses, which a program helps you evidence. See Standard 3.2.2A explained . Is a food safety program mandatory in Australia? It depends on your state or territory and your type of business. Higher-risk businesses, and those serving vulnerable groups such as hospitals, aged care and childcare, are more likely to be required to have a documented program (Standard 3.3.1). Many other food businesses comply with Standards 3.2.2 / 3.2.2A without one. Confirm your obligation with your regulator. What is the difference between a food safety program and HACCP? HACCP is the method — a set of seven principles for identifying and controlling food safety hazards. A food safety program is your business's written system, usually built on HACCP principles. Who should write our food safety program? You can write it yourself from a template, or use a tool or consultant. Whatever the source, it should reflect how your business actually operates, not a generic document filed away. How often should a food safety program be reviewed? Review it whenever your menu, processes, equipment or suppliers change, and periodically even if nothing changes, so it stays accurate. Do I also need a Food Safety Supervisor? Often yes, under Standard 3.2.2A, depending on your state and your business category. See our Standard 3.2.2A guide, and confirm with your regulator.