Food safety in Queensland
July 2013
Management of Listeria monocytogenes
in Hospital and Health Service
food service facilities:
Guideline
Food Safety Standards and Regulation
Health Protection
Health Service and Clinical Innovation Division
Department of Health
PO Box 2368
Fortitude Valley BC 4006
phone - +61 7 3328 9310
fax - +61 7 3328 9354
email - [email protected]
website - www.health.qld.gov.au/foodsafety
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Table of contents
Introduction..........................................................................................................................................4
1 – Background ....................................................................................................................................4
2 – What is Listeria? ............................................................................................................................4
3 – What foods are associated with Listeriosis? ...............................................................................4
4 – Health risks and symptoms ..........................................................................................................5
4.1 – Who is at risk? ........................................................................................................................5
4.2 – What are the symptoms of listeriosis? ..................................................................................5
5 – Growth and survival of Listeria.....................................................................................................5
6 – Management of Listeria .................................................................................................................6
6.1 – How is Listeria introduced into food service facilities and food? .......................................6
6.2 – Can Listeria be controlled? ....................................................................................................6
6.3 – Control measures for Listeria ................................................................................................7
Training ............................................................................................................................................................7
Food service facility location ............................................................................................................................7
Food service facility design, structure, layout & maintenance .........................................................................7
Equipment ........................................................................................................................................................8
Raw materials & ingredients ............................................................................................................................8
Storage.............................................................................................................................................................8
Temperature.....................................................................................................................................................9
Cleaning & sanitising .......................................................................................................................................9
Packaging & single use items ..........................................................................................................................9
Waste management .........................................................................................................................................9
7 – Monitoring for Listeria .................................................................................................................10
Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code ..............................................................................................10
Microbiological guidelines ..............................................................................................................................10
7.1 – Environmental microbiological testing for the control of Listeria .....................................10
7.2 – Detection of Listeria on food contact surfaces ...................................................................11
7.3 – Product sampling ..................................................................................................................11
8 – Food recalls..................................................................................................................................12
8.1 – Roles and responsibilities........................................................................................................12
HHS food service facilities .............................................................................................................................12
The sponsor ...................................................................................................................................................12
Distributors .....................................................................................................................................................12
9 – Making safer food choices ..........................................................................................................13
Higher risk foods ............................................................................................................................................13
Safer alternatives ...........................................................................................................................................13
Appendix A – Resource documents .................................................................................................14
Appendix B – Definition of terms and abbreviations ......................................................................15
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Introduction
This guideline aims to raise awareness of and help minimise the potential risks of food borne infection with
Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes). It provides Hospital and Health Service (HHS) food service
facilities with strategies for the management of Listeria monocytogenes.
The effective control of Listeria is product, process and food service facility specific. This guideline is
neither a comprehensive nor a definitive reference on the prevention of Listeria contamination in every
circumstance. Each HHS is responsible for ensuring that the measures to manage Listeria in their food
service facility are appropriate and adequate.
1 – Background
Most people who are in good health and not pregnant can tolerate exposure to Listeria in food. However,
vulnerable persons have a higher risk of Listeriosis, the illness that can be caused by L. monocytogenes
infection Additionally, Listeriosis in pregnant women is associated with a risk of severe infection of the
foetus or newborn infant that may result in death. Considerable developments have been made in
recognising foods which are likely to be associated with Listeria and in developing strategies and processes
that can minimise these risks.
2 – What is Listeria?
Listeria bacteria are commonly found in natural and man-made environments such as in soil, water,
decomposing organic matter and sewage. It has been found in birds, frogs, fish and crustaceans and can
also be found in equipment in food processing environments, floors, drains and ceilings. Listeria can
survive for long periods of time in the environment and is recognised as a food borne illness of significant
risk in the food industry.
3 – What foods are associated with Listeriosis?
Listeriosis has been isolated in a variety of ready to eat (RTE) foods such as soft cheeses, vegetables,
fruits, meats and dairy products, salads and seafood. There is a large range of RTE foods that may be
associated with food borne listeriosis and it is not feasible to provide a full list of higher risk foods. However,
common features include the ability to support the growth of Listeria and/or the potential for contamination
following processing but prior to packaging and/or serving.
Foods normally associated with Listeriosis include certain meat, poultry meat and fish products, dairy
products and prepared salads, such as:
 soft and surface ripened cheese e.g. camembert, brie
 soft serve ice cream
 ready to eat cold meats
 cold, cooked chicken
 salads and vegetables e.g. bean sprouts, coleslaw
 fruit salads
 pâté and other meat spreads
 raw and chilled ready to eat seafood
 unpasteurised milk
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The principal factors that influence the risk to consumers are whether:
 the food supports the growth of Listeria
 the food is ready to eat
 the food requires chilled storage
 the food will have an extended shelf life
 the food undergoes a processing step to kill Listeria
 there is a risk of post-process contamination
 the product formulation supports the growth of Listeria
 the food may be consumed by immunocompromised individuals and pregnant women
Any of the above factors can influence the potential risk to consumers and the factors are cumulative i.e. the
more of these factors that are present, the greater the potential for higher levels of Listeria in the foods and
the greater the risk for consumers of the food.
4 – Health risks and symptoms
While Listeriosis uncommon and causes few or no symptoms in healthy people, it
4.1 – Who is at risk?
Listeriosis is an uncommon but potentially life threatening invasive infection that mainly affects vulnerable
persons, including:
 pregnant women, their unborn and newborn children
 older people (generally considered to be persons over 65 years)
 people of all ages whose immune systems have been weakened by disease or illness, for example,
cancer, leukaemia, AIDS, diabetes, liver or kidney disease
 anyone on medication that can suppress the immune system
Asymptomatic infections (infections causing minor or no symptoms) in healthy people probably occur at all
ages. Asymptomatic infections are of importance during pregnancy, because the risk of the infection
passing from a pregnant woman to her unborn child is high. Infection during pregnancy can lead to foetal
loss, premature labour or stillbirth, or result in the infant being born with septicaemia or developing
meningitis. Older children with listeriosis frequently develop meningitis.
4.2 – What are the symptoms of listeriosis?
Not everyone reacts the same way when contracting Listeriosis. Healthy adults generally may experience
only mild symptoms, such as fever, nausea, headaches, muscle aches, or diarrhoea, which may disappear
quickly.
For the at risk populations, these symptoms may progress to more serious forms of the illness, such as
meningitis (brain infection) and septicaemia (blood poisoning). If the infection spreads to the nervous
system it can cause stiff neck, disorientation, or convulsions, miscarriage, and possibly death.
After eating contaminated food, the incubation period (the time between infection and symptoms) is about
three weeks on average, but can be between three to 70 days.
5 – Growth and survival of Listeria
Understanding the factors that enable Listeria to survive and multiply in food and in the food processing
environment is essential for the effective management of Listeria. Under particular conditions, the numbers
of Listeria in food can rapidly increase to unsafe levels.
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An important characteristic of Listeria is its ability to continue to multiply at cold temperatures and survive in
frozen foods. Any ready to eat food that is contaminated with Listeria may eventually develop enough
bacteria to be dangerous, even if refrigerated correctly at or below 5ºC.
Listeria can multiply at temperatures as low as -1ºC and the maximum temperature for growth is generally
accepted as 45ºC. Listeria is also able to survive for some time in low water activity environments (eg dry
foods), and may survive drying processes. Listeria is not particularly heat resistant and killed above 70ºC.
Listeria can prove difficult to control on food contact surfaces such as stainless steel because the bacteria
can form persistent biofilms. Biofilms result in the bacteria being more resistant to physical and chemical
agents intended to kill the bacteria and allow them to survive for extended periods with minimal nutrient
supply. Biofilms in locations which are difficult to identify and clean can act as a persistent source of food
contamination through the ongoing release of Listeria.
6 – Management of Listeria
HHS food service facilities have a responsibility to follow the Food Standards Code (the Code), in particular,
Food Safety Standard 3.2.2 which outlines food safety practices and general requirements. Food Safety
Standard 3.2.2 sets out specific requirements for food businesses and food handlers that, if complied with,
will ensure food does not become unsafe or unsuitable. Compliance with Food Safety Standard 3.2.2 will
assist the management of Listeria through the use of good hygiene practices, good handling, processing
and storage practices, and food safety/hygiene training.
In addition to compliance with the Code, all class 3 HHS food service facilities (see the Management of food
safety in Hospital and Health Service facilities guideline) are required to develop and implement a food
safety program that identifies the hazards that are reasonably likely to occur for each of the food handling
steps within the food service facility. Each food safety program should consider control and monitoring of
Listeria.
6.1 – How is Listeria introduced into food service facilities and food?
Three primary sources of possible Listeria contamination are:
 raw materials
 environment and equipment
 people
Small numbers of Listeria can often be found on unprocessed foods, and in and around a food service
facility. Employees or other people visiting food service facilities may inadvertently bring Listeria into the
processing environment via shoes, clothing, personal items and body, in dust, on equipment such as tools
and vehicles and on ingredients and packaging. The bacteria may then be introduced to surfaces or food.
Once inside the food service facility, Listeria exist and multiply in niches, particularly in damp spots, and on
equipment surfaces. If cleaning and sanitising procedures are not thorough the bacteria may then form a
biofilm and become difficult to remove. Niches pose a major source of ongoing contamination during food
processing.
6.2 – Can Listeria be controlled?
Listeria can be controlled but it is a continuous process where any failure to ensure that the controls are
being implemented can have major consequences. The most important control measure for a food service
facility is to prevent Listeria from entering the food handling area. Where preventing entry is not achievable,
then minimising the impact of Listeria that is present is crucial.
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6.3 – Control measures for Listeria
The control of Listeria in food service facilities requires commitment at different levels. The challenges for
controlling Listeria are considerable given its ubiquitous nature, high resistance to heat, salt and acidic pH
and arguably most importantly, its ability to grow and survive at or below normal refrigeration temperatures.
It should be understood that any surface or material which comes into contact with food is a potential source
of contamination. Listeria poses a particular challenge as it is a common environmental pathogen that can
become established in a food handling environment and continually contaminate work surfaces. In the case
of ready to eat food, the challenges are greatest because handling frequently involves extensive processing
and packaging after cooking. In addition, the numbers of Listeria may increase in the food during storage
and distribution.
If contamination occurs after a processing step designed to eliminate bacteria e.g. cooking, the bacteria
may grow particularly rapidly as other rival bacteria will have been considerably reduced by the process.
Examples of control measures that may be applied to reduce the risk of Listeria are outlined below. Please
note that this is neither a comprehensive nor a definitive list of control measures for Listeria in every
circumstance. Each HHS is responsible for ensuring that the control measures to manage Listeria in their
food service facility are appropriate and adequate.
Training
Control measures
Employees involved in the production and handling of ready to eat food should have appropriate training.
Training in:
- principal factors that influence the risk to consumers
- the nature of Listeria, its harbourage sites and its resistance to various environmental
conditions (to be able to conduct a suitable hazard analysis)
- control measures for reducing the risk of Listeria associated with ready to eat food (during
receipt, processing, handling, storage, distribution and use)
- the means for verifying effectiveness of control measures (including sampling and analytical
techniques)
- foods which are characteristically associated with Listeria
Food service facility location
Control
measures
Other activities or businesses in the area surrounding the food service facility should be considered and
possible sources of Listeria contamination identified.
- tar seal or concrete roadways and car parks (to minimise dirt and dust)
- keep landscaped areas, e.g. shrubs, trees, grass away from the building (particularly
entrances)
- minimise the storage of disused equipment outside the building
Food service facility design, structure, layout & maintenance
Well planned and executed design, construction, layout and maintenance of a food service facility will help
to minimise potential sources of Listeria and opportunities for cross contamination and recontamination (e.g.
avoidance of poor seals, cracks, crevices, dead spaces, etc).
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Control
measures
-
have a designated entry and exit point for the food service facility area
avoid people entering food handling areas unless absolutely necessary
floors should be smooth, not prone to damage from equipment and able to be easily cleaned
prevent water accumulation by ensuring floors are graded to drain water
create and implement a comprehensive maintenance program
It is recommended that each food service facility obtain a copy of Standard 3.2.3 and be familiar with its
requirements. Guidance on interpreting the standard is available in Safe Food Australia published by Food
Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). Further information on complying with the standard is also
available in Australian Standard AS4674-2004 Design, construction and fit-out of food premises.
Equipment
Control
measures
Good hygienic design and construction of equipment (e.g. avoidance of poor seals, cracks, crevices, dead
spaces, etc) will help reduce the risk of Listeria.
- design facilities, equipment and practices to avoid cross contamination
- design and install equipment to provide easy access for cleaning and sanitising
- ensure equipment is easy to disassemble by hand or with simple tools
Raw materials & ingredients
Control
measures
Ensuring that incoming raw materials and ingredients are not significantly contaminated with Listeria is
important. Contamination can be transferred into the handling environment and contaminate other foods
and equipment. If the contamination level is high, the processes in place may not be able to bring about the
required reduction in Listeria numbers to ensure safe and suitable food.
- source raw materials and ingredients from approved suppliers only
- only accept fruit and vegetables that free of contamination
- ensure food is used before the use by date
Storage
Control
measures
Food service facilities should be designed to ensure stored food is protected from contamination and there
is physical separation of raw and ready to eat food.
- store and prepare raw unwashed and unpeeled fruit and vegetables separately
- store raw materials and ingredients in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions to
prevent contamination or deterioration
- separate the storage of raw materials and ready to eat food
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Temperature
Control
measures
Food has to be kept at certain temperatures to minimise the growth of any pathogenic micro-organisms that
may be present in the food or to prevent the formation of toxins in the food. While Listeria can continue to
grow at low temperatures, it is still important to maintain temperature control.
-
keep cold food cold (5°C or below)
keep hot foods hot (60ºC or above)
keep high risk food out of the ‘temperature danger zone’ (between 5°C and 60°C)
if high risk food has been in the temperature danger zone for up to two hours, the food should
be reheated, refrigerated or consumed
- if high risk food has been in the temperature danger zone for longer than two hours, but less
than four hours, the food should be consumed immediately
- if high risk food has been in the temperature danger zone for more than four hours, it must be
thrown out
Cleaning & sanitising
Control
measures
The effective implementation of cleaning and sanitising procedures is required to prevent or minimise postprocess contamination. Controls should be targeted to prevent Listeria contamination of food, food contact
surfaces and processing environment.
- thoroughly clean and sanitise all surfaces, utensils, cooking, serving and eating equipment,
fixtures and fittings
- use cleaning detergents and sanitisers that have good activity against Listeria for cleaning
and sanitising (check with chemical supplier)
- clean surfaces to remove physical debris before the application of sanitisers, in order to be
more effective against microbial pathogens
- regularly change the type of sanitiser used (this may help to prevent the bacteria developing
resistance)
Packaging & single use items
Control
measures
Packaging materials and single use items (e.g. plastic wraps, disposable spoons and cups) should be kept
clean and dry prior to use to reduce risks of contamination.
-
where possible, have a dedicated storage area and control access (for single use items)
remove packaging materials from their external carton before entering the food service facility
keep the storage area dry and clean
minimise human and vehicle traffic i.e. do not use for access
store packaging materials and containers used to store items off the floor and keep clean and
dry
Waste management
Control
measures
Adequate facilities for handling waste should be provided.
-
separate waste storage areas from food and packaging storage areas
provide sufficient waste receptacles both inside and outside the facility
remove waste from the food handling area promptly and at least once per day
practice good food hygiene habits
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7 – Monitoring for Listeria
It is recommended that all HHS food services facilities use a Listeria monitoring program. Having the
program can be an effective way to identifying and remove the presence of Listeria in food products. It can
verifying the ongoing effectiveness of the sanitation program and help determine if further control measures
are necessary to reduce or remove contamination.
Two factors determine the effectiveness of a Listeria control program – the design of the testing plan (ie the
capacity to find Listeria if present) and the response to a positive finding (ie what corrective action is
implemented).
Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code
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Standard 1.6.1 includes microbiological standards for Listeria for a limited number of foods:
Soft and semi-soft cheese (moisture content >39%, pH >5.0)
All raw milk cheese, unpasteurised milk and butter
Packaged cooked, cured/salted meat
Packaged heat treated pâté and meat paste
Read-to-eat processed finfish
Processed bivalve molluscs
The limit generally specified is ‘not detected in 25g’ (sampling plan n=5, c=0, m=0). For ready-to-eat
processed finfish, a limit of 100 colony forming units per 25g is allowed in 1 out of 5 samples (sampling plan
n=5, c=1, m=0, M=1).
Microbiological guidelines
Microbiological guideline criteria were developed to complement Standard 1.6.1 in the User guide to
Standard 1.6.1 – Microbiological Limits for Food with additional guideline criteria. These criteria were
intended as advisory criteria for industry and government where failure to meet guideline levels may
indicate a failure in process or hygiene procedures and would require corrective action. The User Guide
includes ‘not detected’ levels for Listeria in pasteurised milk, dried milk powder, ice cream and edible ices,
powdered infant formula and cereal-based foods for infants.
FSANZ has also developed Guidelines for the microbiological examination of ready-to-eat foods. (RTE
Guidelines) to provide assistance in the interpretation of microbiological analyses of foods. They assign four
categories of microbiological quality from satisfactory to potentially hazardous and provide recommended
actions such as investigation of food handling controls and recall. These guidance documents establish two
sets of limits for Listeria in ready-to-eat foods, based on whether a food is able to support the growth, of
Listeria.
7.1 – Environmental microbiological testing for the control of Listeria
Evidence shows that a basic monitoring and testing can be cost-effective when compared to the costs
incurred in Listeria detection in the product. Monitoring and testing will usually show whether Listeria is
present within the manufacturing site before it can contaminate product. Monitoring and testing should be
carried out during production times e.g. at break time and after sanitation prior to production to assess
effictivness.
An important part of monitoring and testing is the development of a documented sampling program.
A Listeria sampling program will need to be documented and should include:
 Responsibilities i.e. the name and/or designation of person/position responsible for the development of
the sampling program and responding when detections occur and a description of their responsibilities
 A sampling plan to show for each hygiene zone, from where and when environmental samples are to be
collected; product sampling if required
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The frequency of sampling and the number of samples taken in each zone
Procedures for collecting environmental and product samples and situations where increased sampling
is needed
Training of samplers
The laboratory – arrangements for sending samples and receiving results
Record keeping – for recording and reporting laboratory results and trend analysis
The response – An action plan for when Listeria is found
Review of the sampling program
Food contact surface sample areas
Food contact surfaces are anywhere an exposed surface or item has direct contact with the food product.
For environmental sampling, select sites in the final packaging area which are exposed to both the
environment and the product or where there is a higher probability of RTE product contamination and the
greatest potential to affect the safety of the final food product. Recommended food contact surface areas
are:
 Slicers, dicers, shredders, etc
 Carts/racks
 Cheese moulds
 Blades of slicers
 Packaging tables, conveyor belts
 Scales
 Cutting tables
 Utensils (knives, trays)
 Packaging equipment (vacuum packaging, etc), packaging material
Floor drains should be included in environmental sampling
7.2 – Detection of Listeria on food contact surfaces
If Listeria is detected on a food contact surface, follow-up action should include the following:
 production batches which may have come into contact with a contaminated surface should be put on
hold, sampled and tested for Listeria
 contaminated surface should be cleaned and sanitised
 sanitation procedures and records should be reviewed
 further environmental samples
 any changes or inconsistencies in sanitation procedures, equipment, personnel and records should be
identified
 the causes of the contamination and steps taken to prevent future incidents should be recorded
7.3 – Product sampling
Microbiological testing programs usually include product sampling and testing for Listeria. This testing may
provide data which will assist to validate the process and verify critical control points (CCPs) that are being
applied to control Listeria and provide for due diligence. Keep in mind that if product becomes contaminated
with a low level of Listeria, not all units in the batch may be contaminated. Thus retesting a sample or a
batch and getting a negative result does not mean that the first result was incorrect. The original result is a
true and valid and should be treated as real.
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8 – Food recalls
It is a legal requirement under Standard 3.2.2 Food Safety Practices and General Requirements in the
Code (See Appendix A for information on obtaining documents) for manufacturers, wholesalers and
importers of food to have a system in place to ensure the recall of unsafe food. A recall system includes the
procedures and arrangements that a food business has which enable it to retrieve food products from the
food supply chain if a problem arises. A recall plan is the written document a business produces which
details the recall system. Businesses use their recall plan to ensure the recall system in place is followed
and complied with.
The purpose of a recall plan is to enable a food business to recall unsafe food from the market place, and
consumers, effectively and efficiently in order to protect public health and safety. Unsafe food is food that
may cause illness or physical harm to a person who consumes it because, for example, it contains
pathogenic microorganisms or physical hazards.
Notice of Isolation of Prescribed Contaminant
 Section 270 of the Food Act 2006 requires a food business, or a person who tests a food for a food
business, to orally notify the chief executive of the Department of Health immediately on isolating a
prescribed contaminant in food and to give notice about the isolation in the approved form within 24
hours
 HHS Public Health Units investigate all notices sent to the chief executive of the Department of Health
relative to the isolation of a prescribed contaminant in food
 Should an investigation of a notification indicate the requirement for further action to ensure protection
of public health and safety, this could include food recalls, or alerts to the public
8.1 – Roles and responsibilities
HHS food service facilities
It is the responsibility of HHS food service facilities to remove all recalled product from sale. The product
should be removed to an area clearly designated for recalled stock while it awaits collection and/or disposal.
This requirement to remove product from sale applies to all recalls – both voluntary and mandatory. The use
of the word ‘voluntary’ refers to the sponsor choosing to initiate the recall and does not mean that retailers
can choose whether or not to remove stock.
The sponsor
Sponsors have the following general responsibilities in relation to food recalls:
 remove the unsafe food from sale
 maintain records and establish procedures that will facilitate a recall (records should be in a form that
can be quickly retrieved)
 have a written recall plan
 initiate the action for implementing a recall
 in the case of a consumer level recall, notify the public (generally by press advertisement)
 for imported product, contact overseas supplier/manufacturer when initiating recall action
The sponsor must comply with the recall system it has in place to effectively and efficiently remove the food
from the market place in a timely fashion.
Distributors
Distributors play an important role in food recalls. The sponsor is dependent on the assistance and
cooperation of these bodies to ensure the effectiveness of the recall process. In relation to food recalls,
distributors have the responsibility to maintain distribution records and establish procedures that will
facilitate a recall. Records should be in a form that can be quickly retrieved.
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9 – Making safer food choices
The risk of Listeria can be managed by hygienic preparation, storage and handling of food. However, for at
risk people, avoiding consuming higher risk foods is often recommended. Examples of higher risk foods
and safer alternatives are provided below as a general guide.
Higher risk foods
Food type
Examples
Cold meats
Unpackaged ready to eat from delicatessen counters, sandwich bars, etc
Packaged, sliced ready to eat
Purchased (whole, portions, or diced) ready to eat
Cold cooked
chicken
Pate
Salads (fruit and
vegetables)
Chilled seafood
Cheese
Ice cream
Other dairy
products
Sushi
Refrigerated pâté or meat spreads
Pre-prepared or pre-packaged salads e.g. in salad bars, smorgasbords, etc
Raw (e.g. oysters, sashimi or sushi)
Smoked ready-to-eat
Ready-to-eat peeled prawns (cooked) e.g. in prawn cocktails, sandwich fillings, and
prawn salads
Soft, semi soft and surface ripened cheeses (pre-packaged and delicatessen) e.g.
brie, camembert, ricotta, feta and blue
Soft serve
Unpasteurised dairy products (e.g. raw goats milk)
Food containing the above products
Safer alternatives
Food type
Safer alternatives
Precautions
Cold meats
Freshly cooked
Salads
Freshly prepared salads
Seafood
All freshly cooked seafood
Cheese
Hard cheese (e.g. cheddar, tasty)
Processed cheese, cheese
spreads, plain cream cheese, plain
cottage cheese
Freshly cooked
Store in fridge and use within a day of
cooking
Wash all vegetables and fruit thoroughly.
Store any leftover prepared salads in fridge,
use within a day of preparation
Use immediately – store any leftovers in
fridge and use within a day of cooking
Store in fridge
Purchase cheeses packaged by the
manufacturer
Store in the fridge
Ensure chicken is cooked thoroughly, use
immediately – store any leftovers in fridge and
use within a day of cooking
Use immediately or store any leftovers in
fridge and use within a day of purchase
Store unused portions in fridge in clean,
sealed containers and use within a day
Store in fridge
Chicken
Canned & similarly
packaged foods
Other dairy
products
Hot ready to eat chicken (whole,
portions)
All
Pasteurised dairy products (e.g.
pasteurised milk, yoghurt, custard,
dairy dessert)
Packaged frozen ice cream
Keep the ice cream frozen
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Appendix A – Resource documents
AS 4674-2004: Design,
Construction and fit out of
food premises
available from SAI Global – www.saiglobal.com.au
(payment required)
Food Act 2006
available from the Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel - www.legislation.qld.gov.au
http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/F/FoodA06.pdf
Food Industry Recall
Protocol
available from Food Standards Australia New Zealand http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/industry/foodrecalls/firp/documents/Food%20Recall_WEB.pdf
Food Regulation 2006
available from the Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel - www.legislation.qld.gov.au
http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/F/FoodR06.pdf
Food safety program
development tool
FSP Master - available from Queensland Health’s food safety website - www.health.qld.gov.au/foodsafety/
www.health.qld.gov.au/foodsafety/#tools
Food safety standard 3.2.2
available from Food Standards Australia New Zealand - www.foodstandards.gov.au/
www.comlaw.gov.au/Series/F2008B00576
Food safety standard 3.2.3
available from Food Standards Australia New Zealand - www.foodstandards.gov.au/
www.comlaw.gov.au/Series/F2008B00577
Food standards code
available from Food Standards Australia New Zealand - http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/code/Pages/default.aspx
Listeria Recall Guidelines for
Ready-to-eat foods
available from Food Standards Australia New Zealand http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/publications/pages/listeriarecallguidel5618.aspx
Safe Food Australia
available from Food Standards Australia New Zealand http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/publications/documents/complete_safefood.pdf
Standard 1.6.1
available from Food Standards Australia New Zealand - http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2012C00862
Standard 3.3.1
available from Food Standards Australia New Zealand - http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2011C00592
The priority classification
system for food businesses
available from Food Standards Australia New Zealand http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/publications/pages/thepriorityclassific352.aspx
Appendix B – Definition of terms and abbreviations
1. Where terms used in this guideline are defined in the Food Act 2006 and the Food Standards
Code, they have the same meaning as in the Act or Code.
Biofilm
A population of micro-organisms that are attached to each other and/or to a surface.
The micro-organisms, such as Listeria, are frequently surrounded by slimy material
that helps them stick to the surface and makes it difficult to remove them by cleaning
or for sanitisers to penetrate into
Clean
Clean to touch and free of extraneous visible matter and objectionable odour
Contaminated
product
A batch of product that testing has shown to be contaminated with Listeria
Critical Control
Point (CCP)
A step at which control can be applied and is essential to prevent or eliminate a food
safety hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level
Department
Department of Health
Environmental
samples
Material collected from a processing area or the external environment for the purpose
of testing the surface or material for the presence of Listeria.
Equipment
A machine, instrument, apparatus, utensil or appliance, other than a single-use item,
used or intended to be used in or in connection with food handling and includes any
equipment used or intended to be used to clean food premises or equipment
Food
see section 12 of the Food Act 2006
Food Act 2006
The Queensland Food Act 2006 (the Act)
Food handler
A person who directly engages in the handling of food, or who handles surfaces likely
to come into contact with food, for a food business
Food handling
Any activity involving the handling of food (see ‘handling’)
Food Recall
Is an action taken to remove from distribution, sale and consumption, food which may
pose a health and safety risk to consumers
Food safety
hazard
see Section 10.3 of this guideline
Food safety
program
see Section 10.3 of this guideline
Food safety
standards
The standards contained in Chapter 3 of the Food Standards Code
Food safety
standard 3.2.2
Standard 3.2.2 Food safety practices and general requirements of the Food
Standards Code
Food safety
standard 3.2.3
Standard 3.2.3 Food premises and equipment of the Food Standards Code
Food Standards
Code
The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code
FSANZ
Food Standards Australia New Zealand - ensures safe food by developing effective
food standards for Australia and New Zealand.
Handling
Of food includes the making, manufacturing, producing, collecting, extracting,
processing, storing, transporting, delivering, preparing, treating, preserving, packing,
cooking, thawing, serving or displaying of food
Hazard
A biological, chemical or physical agent in, or condition of, food that has the potential
to cause an adverse health effect in humans. (Standard 3.1.1)
HHS
Hospital and Health Service
Listeria
monocytogenes
Is a Gram-positive rod-shaped bacterium which can cause listeriosis
Listeriosis
A serious infection caused by eating food contaminated with Listeria
Monitoring
Includes checking, observing or supervising in order to maintain control
Niche (or
A localised site in which food debris and moisture can accumulate and that provides
harbourage site) an area for Listeria to become established and persist.
Non-product
contact surface
The surfaces in a high care area which an exposed ready-to-eat food does not touch
prior to final packaging.
Package
Any container or wrapper in or by which food intended for sale is wholly or partly
encased, covered, enclosed, contained or packaged and, in the case of food carried
or sold or intended to be carried and sold in more than one package, includes every
such package, but does not include – (a) bulk cargo containers; or (b) pallet
overwraps; or (c) crates and packages which do not obscure labels on the food; or (d)
transportation vehicles; or (e) a vending machine; or (f) a hamper; or (g) food served
on a covered plate, cup, tray or other food container in prisons, hospitals or other
similar institutions
Potentially
hazardous food
Food that must be kept at a particular temperature— (a) to minimise the growth of
pathogenic micro-organisms that may be in the food; or (b) to stop the formation of
toxins in the food
Premises
A building or other structure, part of a building or other structure, land where a
building or other structure is situated, a vehicle and a food vending machine. Other
structure includes tents, stalls and other temporary structures, boats, pontoons and
any other place kept or used for the handling of food for sale
Ready-to-eat
Food that is ordinarily consumed in the same state as that in which it is sold and does
not include nuts totally enclosed in the shell and whole, raw fruits and vegetables that
are intended for hulling, peeling or washing by the consumer
Sanitise
To apply heat or chemicals, heat and chemicals, or other processes, to a surface so
that the number of micro-organisms on the surface is reduced to a level that: (a) does
not compromise the safety of food with which it may come into contact; and (b) does
not permit the transmission of infectious disease
Sponsor
Is the food business (e.g. individual, partnership, and corporation) or other entity
having primary responsibility for the supply of a food product in Australia? A sponsor
will often be a manufacturer of a food product made in Australia or the importer of the
food product into Australia. There may be more than one sponsor for a particular
product
Supplier
The packer, manufacturer, vendor or importer of the food in question
Unpackaged
food
All food, other than food that is sealed in a package at a place other than the food
business that sells it by retail in that package.
Unsafe food
Food is unsafe if it would be likely to cause physical harm to a person who might later
consume it, assuming it was: (a) after that time and before being consumed by the
person, properly subjected to all processes (if any) that are relevant to its reasonable
intended use; (b) nothing happened to it after that particular time and before being
consumed by the person that would prevent its being used for its reasonable intended
use; and (c) consumed by the person according to its reasonable intended use
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Unsuitable food
Food is unsuitable if it: (a) is damaged, deteriorated or perished to an extent that
affects its reasonable intended use, or (b) contains any damaged, deteriorated or
perished substance that affects its reasonable intended use, or (c) is the product of a
diseased animal or an animal that has died otherwise than by slaughter, and has not
been declared by or under an Act to be safe for human consumption, or (d) contains a
biological or chemical agent, or other matter or substance, that is foreign to the nature
of the food
Vulnerable
person
A vulnerable person is defined as a person who receives care from one of the
facilities listed in the standard or is a client of a delivered meals organisation.
Withdrawal
(also known as
a trade level
recall)
Means the removal of an unsafe food from the distribution chain but does not extend
to food sold to the consumer (Note the definition of “recall” for comparison.)
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