The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code

The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code is the law that sets food standards across Australia (and, for some chapters, New Zealand). For a food business, the part that matters most is Chapter 3 — the food safety standards that apply only in Australia, including Standard 3.2.2A. It is written by FSANZ and enforced by your state regulator and council. How the Code is structured. Chapter 1 — general food standards (labelling, additives, contaminants, allergen declarations). Chapter 2 — standards for specific food products. Chapter 3 — food safety standards for Australian businesses (practices, premises and management). Chapter 4 — primary production and processing standards. The Chapter 3 food safety standards. Three standards do most of the work for hospitality and retail: Standard 3.2.2A — food safety management tools: a Food Safety Supervisor, food-handler training, and substantiation that key controls are working. Standard 3.2.2 — food safety practices and general requirements (temperature control, cleaning, health and hygiene). Standard 3.2.3 — food premises and equipment (design, construction and maintenance for cleanability). Allergen labelling (Standard 1.2.3). Standard 1.2.3 in Chapter 1 governs how allergens must be declared, including Plain English Allergen Labelling (PEAL). For food service this flows through to your allergen matrix and how staff answer allergy questions. FoodSafety HQ keeps a per-dish allergen matrix aligned with this standard. Who enforces the Code. The Code is adopted into each state and territory's food act and enforced locally — usually by council environmental health officers. Registration, inspection frequency and penalties vary by jurisdiction, so confirm the specifics with your state regulator or council. Is the Food Standards Code law? Yes. The Code is given legal force through each state and territory's food act. FSANZ writes it; your state regulator and council enforce it. Which part of the Code applies to a cafe or restaurant? Mainly the Chapter 3 food safety standards — 3.2.2A (management tools), 3.2.2 (practices) and 3.2.3 (premises) — plus allergen labelling under Standard 1.2.3. Does Chapter 3 apply in New Zealand? No. The Chapter 3 food safety standards apply in Australia only. New Zealand has its own food safety regime.