Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2011C00592:body:0:p1
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2011C00592
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 0–2925

Standard 3.3.1

Food Safety Programs for FOOD SERVICE TO Vulnerable PERSONS

(Australia only)

Purpose and commentary

This Standard requires food businesses that process food for service to vulnerable persons to implement a documented and audited food safety program.

Food businesses that process or serve potentially hazardous food for hospital patients, aged care recipients, children in child care centres and vulnerable people receiving other services will generally fall within the requirements of this Standard, provided the food is intended for six or more vulnerable persons.  This Standard also applies to delivered meals organisations that process potentially hazardous meals intended for six or more vulnerable persons.

Table of Provisions

1 Application
2 Interpretation
3 Food safety programs

Clauses

1 Application

(1) This Standard applies to food businesses that engage in one of the activities listed and described in the Table to this subclause.

Table to subclause 1(1)

Activity 1  Process or serve potentially hazardous food within a facility listed and defined in the Schedule to six or more vulnerable persons at any given time
Activity 2  The principal activity is processing food into ready to eat food for service in a facility listed and defined in the Schedule and the processed food –

            (a) is for service to six or more vulnerable persons at any given time; and
            (b) includes ready to eat potentially hazardous food.
Activity 3  The principal activity is processing food into ready to eat food for delivery by a delivered meal organisation and the processed food  –
            (a) is for service to six or more vulnerable persons at any given time; and
            (b) includes ready to eat potentially hazardous food.

Editorial note:

'Process' in relation to food is defined in Standard 3.2.2 as an activity conducted to prepare food for sale including chopping, cooking, drying, fermenting, heating, pasteurising, thawing and washing, or a combination of these activities.

A number of the definitions of the facilities listed in the Schedule are adapted from the National Health Data Dictionary, version 12.  This Dictionary contains core definitions endorsed by the Australian Health Ministers Advisory Council as the authoritative source of national standard definitions for use in clinical care delivery.

(2) This Standard also applies to delivered meals organisations that –

(a) are food businesses; and
(b) process food for service to six or more vulnerable persons at any given time, and the food served is ready to eat food which includes ready to eat potentially hazardous food.

Editorial note:

'Potentially hazardous food' is defined in Standard 3.2.2 as food that has to be kept at certain temperatures to minimise the growth of any pathogenic microorganisms that may be present in the food or to prevent the formation of toxins in the