New food safety requirements for NSW businesses

Published on 19 November 2024

Effective 8 December 2024, new changes to the Food Standards Code will impact all businesses in NSW that prepare and serve food.

To enhance food safety and hygiene, businesses that process unpackaged, potentially hazardous food and serve it ready-to-eat must now:

• Have a qualified onsite Food Safety Supervisor.
• Ensure all food handlers are trained in food safety and hygiene.
• Demonstrate that their food is safe.

Additionally, businesses that only slice, weigh, repack, reheat, or hot-hold potentially hazardous food they have not prepared themselves, such as slicing fruit or reheating meals provided by a caterer, are required to:

• Have a qualified onsite Food Safety Supervisor.
• Ensure all food handlers are trained in food safety and hygiene.

These changes will affect a wide range of establishments, including retail and hospitality food businesses, school canteens, childcare and OOSH services, charities and not-for-profits that regularly sell food, delis, supermarkets, coffee vendors, and correctional centres.

For more information on these new requirements, please visit the NSW Food Authority website.