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The main role of a business’s Food Safety Supervisor is to ensure that the customers, staff and the business itself are kept safe. To do this the Food Safety Supervisor needs to be aware of what their responsibilities are know how to meet them – which is why it is essential to complete the proper training. The role of a Food Safety Supervisor is to monitor and maintain food safety in a food business. This is an important role and carries with it certain respons…

A study published in the Medical Journal of Australia, and conducted by researchers at the University of Western Australia, has found that food products imported into Australia labelled “gluten-free” often contain gluten. The presence of gluten in imported food products is mostly due to the Australian definition of gluten-free being different from the international standard. The Australian standard dictates that foods labelled gluten-free must contain “no dete…

The majority of people don’t realise that the most germ-ridden place in their household is the kitchen. Due to the preparation of raw food products, the kitchen makes the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Unlike restaurants, home kitchens are not formally examined by health inspectors and most of us do not have formal training in how to manage food properly. For this reason, it’s important for us to be aware of the potential dangers lurking in our kitchens…

Between selection, purchase and preparation there is a lot to consider when buying fresh produce. This guide will show you the food safety hazards to avoid and the tips and tricks that can make your produce selection more nutritious and more cost effective. From supermarket shelf to your kitchen counter, this is Food Safety First’s top tips for buying fruit and vegetables. Don’t buy produce that is bruised or damaged It’s a great place for bacteria to hide and…

Four children were hospitalised in a school in Deception Bay on Monday after ingesting what was believed to be a new type of ‘popping candy’. Deception Bay North State School were faced with a toxic emergency after a 9 year old girl fed a poisonous campfire product to 25 of her peers. One of the students, Leilani Nanai was the first to try the product and told 612 ABC that “the girl who was giving it out had ripped the part of the packet where it said ‘fire’ to…

It’s not what any food business wants to experience – multiple foodborne outbreaks occurring and harming customers. As an operator in the food industry, there is a great deal of expectation and responsibility to ensure any food served is safe. When this fails it can have a significant impact on a business’ reputation and profits. Take the recent case with U.S. fast food chain Chipotle Mexican Grill, who illustrates why food safety should always be top priority…

Did you know more Australians are choosing to eat out over making a home cooked meal? According to research by Ipsos, they have found Australians are dining-out and ordering take away food like never before. On average once a week or 4.6 times per month. This ‘eating out more’ trend is also expected to become the new norm for Australians after data in the US revealed sales at restaurants, bars and take away shops overtook spending at grocery stores for the fir…

Do you like your hamburgers medium-rare? If you’re in New South Wales you will have to readjust your taste buds and cooking technique. Recently, the NSW Food Authority indicated they would beef-up enforcement around the guidelines to cooking mince meat, fearing the growing ‘undercooked’ burger trend could spark fresh E. coli food poisoning cases. However its sudden enforcement hasn’t gone down well with many businesses, reputable chefs and customers voicing th…

In South Australia there has been a recent outbreak of salmonella linked to bean sprouts. 233 cases have been reported since the beginning of December, with 43 people requiring hospitalisation. The outbreak has caused great concern as the outbreak is nearly ten times what would normally be encountered over the course of a year. After substantial investigation by SA Health, and with the aid of food suppliers and local efforts, the culprit has been identified as…

The night noodle markets in Canberra are a popular destination for both tourists and locals, running each year in March. However visitors this year suffered a nasty aftermath after at least 3 suffered from gastroenteritis after a night at the markets. The unfortunate sufferers became ill with diarrhoea, stomach aches and bouts of vomiting 10 to 13 hours after consuming contaminated food items. The name of the stall causing the outbreak has not been disclosed.…

Food allergens are becoming even more common in our society with recent data estimating that 5 per cent of children and 2 per cent of adults in Australia currently suffer from some type of food allergy. Like foodborne illnesses, when it comes to food allergies prevention is better than a cure. Everything that we eat must be handled, prepared and stored properly so as to reduce the risk of it causing us harm. This especially goes for foods that potentially conta…

One of the worst consequences of food poisoning is undoubtedly becoming sick; however it isn’t the only one. When someone becomes ill as a result of contaminated food there are also economic and social consequences – which can end up affecting more than just the individual. Illnesses which result in time off work can negatively impact both the sufferer, their coworkers and the also the business; whether through loss of revenue, lack in productivity or lack of i…

If you run a commercial restaurant you’ll know how crucial it is to make the right first impression. If a customers first dining experience is bad, then they’re unlikely to come back or recommend your establishment to other people. For this reason – as well as many others – it is essential to manage and maintain good quality control. Train your staff The first way to start improving your quality control is to ensure that your staff are properly trained with th…

The world is full of tiny microorganisms that we can’t see and which generally do no damage to us. However, if we manage to come across the wrong types of microorganisms, it’s possible for us to become very sick. The term “food poisoning” is used to refer to a wide range of illnesses caused by consuming a contaminated food or beverage. Often, this poisoning is caused by viruses, toxins, bacteria or less commonly – parasites. Food poisoning is a relatively comm…

A Brisbane mum has taken to social media to warn other parents of ‘gag worthy’ organic baby food that she says has caused her daughter to spend a night vomiting. Woolworths have stripped their shelves of the batch of Baby Macro branded, organic apple, banana, pear and mango puree, following a complaint made by mum Nikki De Bondt. Her Facebook posts has already been shared over 50,000 times. ‘Contaminated product alert!!… Ollie and Elka tasted this Baby Macro o…