Food Industry Auditing

Background Information:

Victoria classifies food premises into five distinct risk-based categories (Classes 1, 2, 3A, 3, and 4) under the Food Act 1984.

Overview of Food Premises Classes:

• Class 1 (Highest Risk):

Handles or serves potentially hazardous food to vulnerable groups (hospitals, aged care facilities, childcare centers).

• Class 2 (Medium-High Risk):

Handles unpackaged, potentially hazardous foods. Includes restaurants, cafés, pubs, caterers, and bakeries. 

• Class 3A (Medium-Low Risk):

Specific home-based businesses and accommodation getaways (like bed and breakfasts) undertaking specific food-handling activities, such as hot-filling chutneys, salsas, or relishes.

• Class 3 (Low-Medium Risk):

Handles low-risk foods or pre-packaged, potentially hazardous foods.

• Class 4 (Lowest Risk):

Handles pre-packaged or low-risk foods, such as simple fundraising sausage sizzles.

Who requires an Annual Food Safety Audit / Inspection ?:

All Class 1 premises and Class 2 premises with a non-standard Food Safety Program. 

A non-standard food safety program (also commonly referred to as an independent food safety program) is a custom, site-specific written plan created by a business to manage its specific food safety risks, rather than using a pre-approved template.

Who is Required to Have a Non-Standard Food Safety Program?:

• Class 1 Premises: Because they serve vulnerable groups (such as childcare centers, hospitals, and aged-care facilities), they are legally mandated to have a tailored, non-standard food safety program. 
• Class 2 Manufacturers: Businesses that mass-produce food items or create low-risk food with specific "allergen-free" claims. 
• Complex Class 2 Businesses: Businesses undertaking specialized, high-risk processes that fall outside standard templates.

includes:

-Sous vide cooking (cooking at low temperatures under vacuum seals).

-Extended display of potentially hazardous food outside standard temperature controls (e.g., the 4-hour rule).

-Serving raw or rare minced red meat, poultry, or game meat.

-Oxygen-depleted packaging (Modified Atmosphere Packaging / vacuum packing) to extend shelf life. 

-Services Provided:

• Annual Food Safety Audits / Inspections
• Initial Food Safety Program Document Reviews

Background Information:

HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point, and it is a systematic, science-based management system used to identify, evaluate, and control food safety hazard. Originally developed in the 1960s by NASA and the Pillsbury Company to ensure safe food for astronauts, HACCP focuses on preventing hazards rather than inspecting finished products. It forms the foundation of modern Food Safety Programs accepted around the world across the entire food supply chain. 

Why Implement HACCP:

Implementing HACCP is one of the most effective steps you can take to protect your customers and your business. Because HACCP focuses on preventing hazards before they happen, it shifts your operations from reactive damage control to proactive safety management. 

Services Provided:

• HACCP food safety program development.
• HACCP food safety program audits/inspections. 

Background Information:

The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) standard is a globally recognized benchmark for food safety excellence. When a program meets these criteria, it becomes a "GFSI-Recognized Scheme". If your business is certified under any GFSI-recognized program, major global and local retailers (like Costco, Woolworths, ALDI and Coles) will accept it, dramatically reducing audit duplication and opening doors to international trade 

The Most Common GFSI-Recognized Standards in Australia:

Depending on your sector, your location, and what your buyers request, you will choose one of these highly common, GFSI-benchmarked programs to be audited against: 

• SQF (Safe Quality Food): Highly popular in Australia and North America. It covers the entire supply chain from primary farming to manufacturing and distribution.
• BRCGS (Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standards): Heavily utilized in the UK and Europe, though widely accepted globally. It focuses heavily on manufacturing and product control. 
• FSSC 22000 (Food Safety System Certification): A comprehensive framework based on international ISO standards, popular globally among large corporate food manufacturers.

Services Provided:

• GFSI / Retailer food safety program development and Consultation.