Facts: Food Display
To protect food from contamination it is necessary to
display food safely.
In relation to food display the Food Safety Standards require:
(1) A food business must, when displaying food, take all
practicable measures to protect the food from the likelihood
of contamination.
Displaying Open Food
Where the food is not fully packaged, the food business
must take special precautions to protect the food from
contamination. Open ready to eat food has even more
specific requirements and must not be displayed in public
accessible areas without the provision of suitable protective
barriers such as sneeze guards or other suitable barriers.
(2) A food business must, when displaying unpackaged
ready-to-eat food for self service:
(a) ensure the display of the food is effectively supervised
so that any food that is contaminated by a customer or is
likely to have been contaminated is removed from display
without delay;
(b) provide separate serving utensils for each food or other
dispensing methods that minimise the likelihood of the
food being contaminated; and
(c) provide protective barriers that minimise the likelihood
of contamination by customers.
(3) Subclause (2) does not apply to food in tamper - resistant
equipment or containers.
(4) A food business must not display for sale on any counter
or bar, any ready-to-eat food that is not intended for selfservice unless it is enclosed, contained or wrapped so that
the food is protected from likely contamination.
(5) A food business must, when displaying potentially
hazardous food:
(a) display it under temperature control; and
(b) if it is food that is intended to be displayed frozen,
ensure the food remains frozen when displayed.
Self Service Food
The three requirements for self service food include:
1. Effective Supervision
 is required to discourage consumers from handling and
tampering with exposed food; and
 is required so action may be taken if food does become
contaminated.
2. Separate serving utensils
 are required to be provided for each food item on display
unless other suitable dispensing methods are provided
3. Protective barriers
 are required to be provided as a physical barrier to
protect the food on display from customers directly
contacting food or contaminating food from coughing or
sneezing.
3.3
For more information on the best food handling practices and a safer
environment go to www.pittwater.nsw.gov.au or call 9970 1111
Healthy living and environment
Environmental Compliance / July 2008 / ECHRP08
Temperature Control
Potentially hazardous food on display must be maintained
either at:
a) 50C or below,
b) 600C or above or
c) another temperature if the food business is demonstrating
that the microbiological safety of the food is not being
adversely affected.
Demonstrating temperature control must be
documented.
A food business should regularly check the temperature
of food on display to ensure temperature control is being
achieved.
Labelling
Food that is pre-packaged and has not been manufactured
on the premises must be correctly labelled in accordance
with the Food Standards Code.
The Food Standards Code states that all food labels must
identify the following information:
 Name and description of the food
 Identification of the ‘lot’ number (Food Recall information)
 Name and Australian street address of the supplier of
food
 Food Recall Information
 List of ingredients
 Date mark
 Nutrition information panel (NIP)
 Country of origin of the food
 Warning and advisory statements
For more information on the best food
handling practices and a safer environment
Labelling is not required when:
a) the food is not in a package; or
b) the food is in inner packages not designed for sale
without an outer package, other than individual portion
packs with a surface area of no less than 30 cm, which
must bear a label containing a declaration of certain
substances in accordance with clause 4 of Standard
1.2.3; or
c) the food is made and packaged on the premises from
which it is sold; or
d) the food is packaged in the presence of the purchaser;
or
e) the food is whole or are cut fresh fruit and vegetables,
except sprouting seeds or similar products, in packages
that do not obscure the nature or quality of the fruit or
vegetables; or
f) the food is delivered packaged, and ready for
consumption, at the express order of the purchaser; or
g) the food is sold at a fund raising event.
For more information on food labelling please contact:
NSW Food Authority
Phone: 1300 552 406
Web: www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ)
Phone: 02 6271 2222
Web: www.foodstandards.gov.au