News

September 26, 2023
The Tasmanian capital of Hobart is a dynamic city with a renowned food and wine scene. Freshly caught seafood and locally sourced produce brings a unique authenticity to people’s plates all year round. This notoriety provides a significant boost to the local economy. In fact, recent census data indicates that the café and restaurant industry is Hobart’s fourth-largest employer. Nearly 3% of Hobart residents work in the sector, surpassing the national average of…
September 20, 2023
Food safety is vital in the food service, catering, and retail industries, and failure to keep adequate food safety standards can result in severe consequences for customers and businesses, including illness or injury, legal liability, and lasting damage to a business’s reputation.  The recently introduced FSANZ Standard 3.2.2A aims to strengthen food safety protocols by introducing three new food safety management tools. These tools ensure that food prepared a…
March 21, 2023
Over the past two decades, the number of Australians aged 85 and over has increased by 110%, bringing an increased reliance on aged care facilities to provide assistance, including the provision of meals, snacks and beverages.  Government statistics suggest that approximately 407,000 people currently use residential aged care, home care or transition care in Australia. When you take into account the vulnerability of elderly residents, it’s clear to see the impo…
March 7, 2023
On December 8, 2023, new legislation will come into effect which will require all Australian businesses that prepare and serve food to have trained Food Safety Supervisors available on their premises at all times. This legislation is known as Standard 3.2.2A and is part of the Food Standards Code administered by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). Previously, Food Safety Supervisor training legislation was state-mandated and only applied to food busin…
January 31, 2023
Adelaide, the charming capital of South Australia, has become a hub for gastronomic delights in recent years, with over 1,000 food establishments now serving the city’s residents. While these eateries vary in cuisine and style, they all share a common responsibility – the need to adhere to the strict food safety standards established by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), SA Health and local authorities in the region. Whether you operate a restaurant,…
January 27, 2023
As of January 2023, the team at Food Safety First are pleased to announce that we deliver Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) training, along with the already popular Food Safety Supervisor and Food Handling Certificate training. The decision to add this course was driven by demand from students who are looking for a one-stop-shop to complete all of their hospitality compliance training, and who want to study alcohol service with Food Safety First after a succ…
January 26, 2023
The critical services provided by the health and community sector reiterate the need for food safety compliance, especially in settings that prepare or serve food for consumption by vulnerable people such as the sick, the elderly, pregnant women, children and infants. For example, as past incidents have shown, a food-borne illness outbreak at an aged care facility can have devastating consequences. In Australia, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has…
January 25, 2023
As the largest city in the Northern Territory, Darwin acts as a beacon for local residents in search of diverse dining options, and it doesn’t disappoint. In recent years, the City of Darwin has placed immense focus on the area’s Night Time Economy (NTE) by promoting local cafes, bars and restaurants through council-led initiatives. It appears to be working too – annual data shows that employment in the sector grew by 12% in 2022 as new food establishments bega…
January 21, 2023
Food delivery apps have transformed the way food is served in Australia over the last decade, and as this $1.3 billion industry continues to grow, so do the food safety responsibilities of the people it employs. There are currently more than [insert number] delivery people employed within the food industry, transporting everything, from pizza to paella, to hungry consumers all over Australia. With millions of meals now being delivered every day, the need for pr…
January 5, 2023
Nearly 78,000 people are currently employed by the catering services industry in Australia, making the sector’s commitment to food safety a significant one. No matter how large or small your catering operation is, you must comply with the relevant food safety regulations imposed by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). Training has an important role to play in this, but it can be difficult to know which route to go down in terms of educating staff. In…
December 20, 2022
In the latest report released by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), undeclared allergens in foods were the cause of almost 50% of recalls issued in 2021. Report data indicated that there were a total of 80 recalls issued (down from 109 in 2020), and 48% were allergen-related.  There are two types of recalls that may be issued: consumer and trade. A consumer recall applies to foods that are sold to the retail consumer. A trade recall covers foods sold…
December 16, 2022
Sydney is home to more than 19,000 food establishments, and they all have one thing in common – they are all legally required to have a certified Food Safety Supervisor present during business hours. This emphasises the importance of Food Safety Supervisor training. Food Safety First offers a specialised Food Safety Supervisor course in Sydney to help you meet the food safety standards required by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) and the New South W…
October 4, 2022
In the last couple of years, the emergence of a new trend has been gaining steam in the beverage sector. Zero-alcohol drinks, which used to be extremely limited in popularity and reach, have increased in appeal, particularly during the pandemic as people began to take more notice of their lifestyle, eating and drinking habits and opted for healthier choices. Millennials and Gen Zers especially are making more conscious choices when it comes to drinking alcohol,…
August 22, 2022
On World Food Safety Day in June, the Food Safety Information Council released a report card on the food safety record of Australia. Ensuring food is produced and consumed safely is critical in the prevention of food safety incidents, including food-borne illness. Each year, an estimated 4.1 million cases of food poisoning are reported in Australia resulting in over 31,000 hospitalisations, 1 million visits to doctors and 86 deaths.  The goal of the Food Safet…
May 11, 2022
Transport & Distribution plays a crucial role in ensuring the safe and efficient movement of food within Australia's supply chain, transporting goods across a large portion of the country’s 873,000km road network. Given the quantity and widespread distribution of goods that pass through the food supply chain daily, it’s vitally important that operators maintain meticulous food safety standards when storing, handling and delivering the food we eat. This res…