News

December 1, 2015
A recent OmniPoll survey suggests that Australians may be incorrectly identifying “off” milk as the biggest culprit of food poisoning, when the true risk could actually be raw egg dishes. Research has found that most people correctly identify chicken, minced meat and seafood as food safety risks if they are not handled properly. But, a much lower number of people consider raw egg dishes an issue. In recent years, an increase in the number of Salmonella outbreak…
October 29, 2015
The more we learn about climate change, the more we discover it’s an issue that can’t be ignored. A recent report provided by the Climate Council, entitled “Feeding a Hungry Nation”, discovered that Australia’s food security is under threat in terms of quality, seasonality, and price. As extreme weather events throughout the area become more common – driven by alternating weather patterns, intense droughts, and climate disruption – farmers are finding it increa…
October 19, 2015
Local councils routinely conduct food safety inspections on commercial food businesses to ensure that they are complying with the relevant food safety standards. This practice aims to protect the health of Australians by ensuring that food businesses are maintaining a high-level of food safety. The “Scores on Doors” system, which is operated by many local councils, takes the results from the routine food safety inspections and turns them into an easy-to-underst…
October 15, 2015
Australia’s Business Insider has asked all those daredevils out there whether they would try any of the most dangerous foods in the world. If you’ve ever said you’d try eating anything once, then this is the article for you. Different foods are harmful for different reasons and it is often those that appear the least threatening that can kill. So what are some of the most dangerous foods on the list? Keep reading to find out! Fugu Pufferfish – This tiny litt…
October 10, 2015
Recently, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) released an annual report regarding food safety operations. During the 2014 and 2015, FSANZ detailed 58 food recalls across Australia and New Zealand – most with connections to microbial contamination or allergens. Of these recalls, the most common pathogen was Listeria Monocytogenes. Though the data suggests that unsafe food recalls were down 8 cases on the year before, twenty of the recent recalls were ca…
October 8, 2015
A Coffs Harbour city councillor has been issued with $1320 in fines for failing to comply with food safety standards. And the twist is, he was issued the fines by Environmental Health Officers from the same local council he works for. Cr John Arkan runs an Indian take-away food van called Temple Gardens Curried Away, which has received infringement notices for several food safety breeches. According to the Coffs Coast Advocate, Environmental Health Officers ha…
October 2, 2015
Residents of the Melbourne suburb of Williamstown have been on high alert for the past month while they waited for the test results carried out on the area after a toxic leak. Authorities had previously banned all fishing for oysters after fire-fighting foam which contaminated the area surrounding Williamstown air force base, was thought to have polluted the local water. However the bans were lifted this week when a state-led panel, set up to investigate the l…
September 11, 2015
Over the years, studies have found that chicken is by far the most popular meat in Australia. According to the ABC, the average amount of chicken consumed each year is more than the consumption of lamb and beef combined. However, it is important to remember that chicken comes with its own set of food safety risks. FSANZ has found instances of around 84% of chicken carcasses testing positive for Campylobacter – a bacteria responsible for causing gastroenteritis.…
September 10, 2015
The thunder of horses hooves, bright blooming flowers and the always-dreaded hay fever season all mean one thing – Spring is upon us once again. While this might mean it’s time to put away those bulky winter coats and begin emerging into the sunshine again, it’s also important to know how best to keep yourself and others safe when it comes to food safety – particularly regarding food safety temperatures. One thing Spring invites is outdoor activities. Whether p…
August 31, 2015
A Monash University student café has been forced to close its doors for two days in order to clean up its act following a string of disastrous council inspections found a multitude of food safety breaches. Eight council health inspections found that Clayton’s Cafe Student Curries and Pizza restaurant failed to provide a safe and clean food premises, resulting in the business and its former director copping more than AUD $67,000 in fines and court costs. Accord…
August 18, 2015
A man in Singapore was forced to have his hands and feet amputated after suffering an extreme bout of food poisoning caused by raw fish. The operation was performed on the 50-year-old father of two after he experienced a severe reaction to life-saving medication prescribed to him to treat his fever, vomiting and diarrhoea. Tan Whee Boon, who has told Singapore reporters of his horrific experience, was rushed to hospital the morning after eating yusheng, the di…
August 14, 2015
The Indian government has filed a lawsuit for illegal business practices against Maggi’s parent company Nestlé after the recent instant noodle ban. Earlier this year Indian food safety regulator Uttar Pradesh allegedly found traces of MSG and excessive levels of lead in Maggi instant noodle packets. The scandal that followed has made global headlines and led to other countries, including Australia, banning the popular products. Now the Indian government is su…
August 6, 2015
Victorian butcher’s claim tough new industry guidelines are forcing small producers to stop selling meat. PrimeSafe, the meat licensing authority in Victoria, have reportedly released strict new regulations that target the dry-ageing beef process. According to an article this week on the GoodFood news blog, the new guidelines require lab tests and expensive dry-ageing equipment, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars. These new regulations are alleged to…
July 23, 2015
Claims have come out this week that Melbourne’s prestigious Langham Hotel, which was linked to a serious salmonella outbreak earlier this week, was previously ‘infested with cockroaches, mice and other vermin’. Investigations have found that 60 guests who dined on High Tea at the hotel on 11 and 12 July have been struck-down with food poisoning, six of which required hospitalisation. A source has reportedly told the Herald Sun that the kitchen of the iconic ho…
July 21, 2015
India’s food safety authority is once again showing they’re cracking down on food and drink imports with Jacob’s Creek wines seemingly the latest target. Food Standards and Authority India (FSSAI) stopped imports from Australia’s largest wine company late last year after reports from food safety regulators alleged the wine contained tartaric acid. Pernod Ricard India, the company responsible for importing Jacob’s Creek wine, is currently fighting against the i…