Items intended to be used once with food and then discarded, which must not be reused because they cannot be effectively cleaned and sanitised.
Items intended to be used once with food and then discarded, which must not be reused because they cannot be effectively cleaned and sanitised. Single-use items are things designed to come into contact with food and be used only once before being thrown away, such as disposable gloves, paper cups, plastic cutlery, takeaway containers, wooden skewers, paper napkins and drinking straws. They are made to be discarded because they cannot be reliably cleaned and sanitised for safe reuse. The Food Standards Code specifically addresses their handling to protect food from contamination. Under Standard 3.2.2, single-use items must be handled and stored so they are protected from the likelihood of contamination, and a food business must not reuse a single-use item if doing so may make food unsafe or unsuitable. In practice this means once such an item has been used, or is contaminated, it must be discarded rather than washed and used again. Australian food businesses store single-use items in their original packaging or in clean, covered containers, off the floor and away from splashes, chemicals and other contamination until needed. Staff take items in a hygienic way, for example dispensing cups and straws so hands do not touch the food contact part, and they do not top up or reuse disposable containers that have already held food. A common area of care is disposable gloves, which are single-use: they are changed between tasks and when damaged, not washed and reused, because a used or torn glove spreads contamination. Similarly, takeaway containers and cutlery are not reused for another customer. Managing single-use items well is part of preventing cross-contamination and is checked during inspections. A busy juice bar keeps its disposable cups and straws in their sealed sleeves in a covered dispenser rather than loose on the counter. When a straw drops on the floor, the staff member bins it and takes a fresh one instead of picking it up and using it. Because the single-use items are stored protected and discarded once compromised, customers are not served items that could carry contamination.
Frequently asked questions
What are examples of single-use items?
Disposable gloves, paper and plastic cups, plastic cutlery, takeaway containers, wooden skewers, paper napkins and drinking straws. They are designed to be used once with food and then discarded rather than cleaned and reused.
Can single-use items be washed and reused?
No. They are not designed to be effectively cleaned and sanitised, so reusing them can make food unsafe or unsuitable. Once used or contaminated they must be discarded, as required by Standard 3.2.2.
How should single-use items be stored?
In their original packaging or clean covered containers, off the floor and protected from splashes, chemicals, pests and other contamination until they are needed, so they stay hygienic for use with food.
Are disposable gloves single-use?
Yes. Disposable gloves are single-use and should be changed between tasks and when damaged, not washed and reused. A reused or torn glove can spread contamination just as unwashed hands would.
Why not just reuse a clean-looking takeaway container?
Even if it looks clean, a single-use container cannot be reliably sanitised and may harbour bacteria or residues from previous food, so reusing it risks making the next food unsafe. Use a fresh one each time.
