Search

New hygiene guidelines for the food industry

Standards Australia has published new guidelines to help ensure the proper cleaning and sanitising of processing plants and equipment used in the preparation of food in Australia. The new guidelines supersede previous industry specific cleaning and sanitising Standards on seafood, egg handling, meat processing and poultry processing. They are published in the form of an Australian Standard, AS 4709-2001.

Standards Australia followed its usual practice in drawing expertise from as wide a range of organisations as possible to help formulate the new consolidated Standard. Organisations involved in the preparation of the Standard included: Agriculture Victoria, ARMCANZ Meat Standards Committee, Australian Chemical Specialties Manufacturers Association, Australian Egg Industry Association, Australian Food and Grocery Council, Australian Poultry Industries Association, Australian Seafood Industry Council, Australian Society for Microbiology, Agriculture Fisheries and Food Australia, Food Science Australia, Health Department of W.A., NSW Agriculture, Seaqual Australia and the University of Queensland.

The guidelines set out the recommended principles for cleaning and sanitising and the procedures necessary to restore equipment and surfaces to the required level of cleanliness for processing and transporting food products. Standards Australia believes the guidelines can also be used as a:
  • basis for developing a cleaning and sanitising program for each item of equipment or service in a food preparation area;
  • reference for Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) documentation;
  • source of standards or bench marks against which to assess cleaning performance;
  • source of corrective actions.

It is worth noting that a properly constructed and implemented cleaning and sanitation program is regarded by most authorities as a necessary support program for HACCP food safety program.

For further information contact Standards Australia, telephone: 02 9746 4863 or the Standards Australia website www.standards.com.au

Food Safety and Hygiene
Prepared by Keith Richardson and Beverley George
Food Science Australia
PO Box 52, North Ryde 1670. Tel +61 2 9490 8397 Fax +61 2 9490 8499
Email enquiries@csiro.au