It's been five years since NSW introduced the need for some food service businesses to have a qualified Food Safety Supervisor. The green NSW Food authority certificates is valid for five years.
The NSW Food Authority has just announced that individuals needing to refresh their FSS certificate will be able to do this in the second half of the year. The NSW Food Authority is finalising the materials and program that RTO's will need to use to deliver the refresher training.
Correct Training Systems is an approved RTO who can deliver Food Safety Supervisor training and issue the NSW Food Authority FSS certificates. We look forward to being able to deliver the refresher training, as it is made available by the Authority later in 2015.
We will alert our clients when this option becomes available, and customise the program to each clients operation and also schedule public courses that will run regularly in our conveniently located training rooms.
Refer to the press release for further information.

Exporting food continues to be a real opportunity for Australia.
Asia Insight forum in WA confirmed that the Free Trade Agreement with China should see a reduction in tarriffs and simplified regulatory procedures. As Asia's consumers and middle class become more discerning, they are embracing a premium for clean,safe, high-quality produce from Australia, following a raft of food safety scares. 
China is still one of the fastest growing economies in the world with GDP ballooning at 7.4 per cent. This means the opportunity to export food to China is still looking promising. Further discussion of food export opportunities can be found in the article here

To take advantage of this potential opportunity, Correct Food Systems can assist you with the export approved arrangements.

Food manufacturers and retailers will no longer have to report food-related deaths or illnesses to the consumer watchdog.
Changes to legislation will mean that state and territory public health laws require hospitals and doctors to report food-related illnesses or deaths.
Businesses will be able to remove the requirement to report a complaint about food safety illness to the ACCC, from their food safety program or manual.
The press release from the Minister of Small Business can be found here.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/business/retail/manufacturers-retailers-no-longer-need-to-report-poisonous-food-to-accc-20150318-1m21jw.html#ixzz3UmAtkd6j

Leading Food Safety advocate Doug Powell has compiled and published a table listing all the reported incidences of Salmonella food poisoning, relating to eggs, in Australia, since 1991. 
Thanks Doug, this is a great list!
See Dougs barf blog at  http://barfblog.com/.
Australia's  egg related Salmonella food safety incidences listing.
Restaurants and caterers feature, serving raw egg menu items.
Infection with Salmonella species causes salmonellosis, with symptoms including gastric, fever, and cramping. Salmonellosis can be contracted from a variety of sources,not only egg and poultry.
( peanut butter, rockmelon, chocolate, mangoes, dried spices etc etc)

However in Australia, the preparation of raw egg products seems to dominate the headlines.
Cafes, Restaurants and Caterers need to recognise that egg is a potentially hazardous food and needs correct temperature control,( keep it cold, or cook it thoroughly) or other controls such as lowering pH, use pasteurised egg products, to ensure it is safe to serve.
Basic food safety principles and processes need to be applied.
Correct Food Systems can assist with education of staff, and implementation of a food safety program to ensure the risks involved with menu items is understood and controlled.

Menora food distribution company has been sold to Asian privately owned Monde Nissin. Monde Nissin already own Black Swan and Nudie brands. They will add Menora's Peckish and Wattle Valley brands to their collection, with the sale expected to be finalised by April.

Australia's food safety response mechanisms have been targeted since frozen imported berries were linked to a series of hepatitis A cases in February 2015.
The Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce continues  to be actively concerned regarding Australia's food safety responsibilities to consumers.
Jurisdiction for making decisions related to blocking or testing imported foods is shared by FSANZ and the departments of Agriculture and Health, as well as state departments and food safety authorities.

Canned and preserved fruit is classed as a "surveillance food import", which means 5 per cent of consignments are screened by the Department of Agriculture This will remain unchanged, but lead and tin testing will now be added to existing labelling checks undertaken at the border. Imported peaches would be subject to additional screening.


 The Department of Agriculture increased the inspection rate back up to 100 per cent of consignments for tinned Tuna in late February 2015.  The Australian Government said all tuna imported from the factory linked to the latest scombroid poisoning scare  will be inspected and tested for histamine and held at the border until results of the laboratory analysis confirm, showing that the food is safe for human consumption.

Full story at ABC Rural. 

The Age newspaper has reported a number of objects found in a range of food products reportedly purchased at Aldi supermarkets. Complaints range from life larvae in chocolates, a fingernail in icecream, starfish mixed in a tin of smoked oysters.
A spokeperson from Aldi has said that Aldi is investigating the issues thoroughly with the suppliers and we will implement any further action if required.
The full article in The Age can be viewed here.
Correct Food Systems can assist with investigating customer complaints in an professional independent manner and work with client to ensure best practice foreign object controls are in place.

In the wake of the Nanna's frozen berries food safety incident, Federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce has called for a revision of the country of origin labelling. Joyce will be presenting a White Paper with proposed changes soon. It is believed to recommend a statement identifying the country where the produce was grown. CHOICE has also called on the Government to take action on country of origin labelling, launching a petition in mid February.
Correct Food Systems will continue to keep you informed of any changes to food safety regulations and keep you abreast of the labelling requirements for food.