Who has the responsibility to ensure the safety of food?

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Food safety plays an important part in the food supply chain to ensure that food is safe and suitable for consumers to eat.  Food businesses are responsible for complying with food safety legislation, regulation and standards.  Food safety regulators and food safety auditors monitor and enforce food laws in Queensland.

Food businesses

A food business is any business, enterprise or activity that involves the handling of food. This includes commercial, charitable, non-profit and community organisations.

In relation to food safety, the role of a food business is to:

Some food businesses are also required to have:

Food safety regulators

There are several agencies that monitor and enforce food laws in Queensland. They include:

Queensland Health

The role of Queensland Health is to:

• enforce food safety requirements in food businesses for matters such as composition of food, labelling, foodborne illness investigation and intentional contamination
• investigate and respond to food safety complaints
• manage applications, renewals, suspensions and cancellations of food safety auditors
• maintain a register of approved food safety auditors
• maintain a register of approved mobile food vehicles
• manage food recalls with food businesses.

Queensland Health can be contacted via 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84).

Local government

The role of local government is to:

• enforce food safety requirements in food businesses for matters such as licences, food handling practice, foreign objects in food
• manage applications, renewals, suspensions and cancellations of food business licences
• accredit food safety programs
• investigate and respond to food safety complaints for matters they enforce
• inspect any food business in their area regardless of whether the food business is licensed or not.

Contact details for local councils can be found in the local government directory.

Safe Food Production Queensland

The role of Safe Food Production Queensland is to:

• enforce food safety requirements for the primary production and processing of meat, eggs, dairy, seafood and horticulture (seed sprouts) in Queensland
• accredit food safety programs for primary production and processing food businesses
• investigate and respond to food safety complaints relating to primary production and processing food businesses
• manage applications, renewals, suspensions and cancellations of food safety auditors for the auditing of primary production and processing food businesses
• maintain a register of approved food safety auditors for the auditing of primary production and processing food businesses.

Safe Food Production Queensland can be contacted on 1800 300 815 or at https://www.safefood.qld.gov.au/

Food safety auditors

The role of a food safety auditor is to:

• provide advice to local governments about accreditation of food safety programs
• conduct audits of accredited food safety programs
• prepare audit reports and provide a copy of these reports to the local government and the food business.

Auditors approved under the Food Act 2006 do not have any enforcement powers and cannot require a food business to make any changes to their food safety program or the food business. Only Queensland Health or local government officers have the authority to direct a food business to make any changes to their operations.

Read more about food safety auditors and food safety programs

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Last updated: 9 June 2021

Keeping food safe and free from contamination is critical to public health. Australia has legislation and regulations to make sure local and imported food is safe to eat.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand:

The Australian Government and state and territory governments enforce the standards, in line with their food legislation. 

The Department of Agriculture ensures that imported products meet our strict biosecurity laws and food standards.

Food labelling

In Australia, legislation requires most packaged foods to have a label so that everyone can make informed decisions about what they eat and drink. Labels must include:

The voluntary Health Star Rating system is a quick and easy way to compare the nutrition in similar foods – the more stars, the healthier the food.

Companies can make nutrition claims (like low fat) or health claims (like good for your bones) on the front of the packaging. While the food must meet certain criteria to back these claims up, it’s still important to read and understand the nutrition information.

The National Measurement Institute administers the laws for selling foods by weights and measures. It works with the Australian food sector to test, analyse and measure foods to ensure accurate labelling and food safety.

Read more about food labelling requirements and understanding food labels.

Storing, handling and serving food safely

Australia has a reliable, safe and nutritious food supply. But food poisoning still happens.

There are more than 5 million cases of food poisoning in Australia each year, both through businesses and at home. Storing, handling and serving food safely can prevent this.

Food safety is everyone’s responsibility. By law, businesses and not-for-profit organisations must follow food standards to keep people safe from food-related illness. But it’s important for individuals too, as many cases of food poisoning happen at home.

Food safety includes:

Read the food safety standards or InfoBites for how to store, handle and serve food in a way that keeps everyone safe.

Food recalls

To protect public health and safety, businesses must immediately remove from distribution, sale and consumption any food found to be unsafe.

This could be for many reasons, including contamination, incorrect labelling or a packaging fault.

Food Safety Australia New Zealand coordinates and monitors food recalls. Read more about how food recalls work in Australia and any current food recalls.

Food safety in emergencies

Emergencies, such as flood and fire, can contaminate food and water supplies or block access to shops.

The Australian Government and state and territory governments work to restore access to food as quickly as possible following an emergency.

But there are things you can do to make sure you have safe food and water at home before, during and after emergencies.

Read about what you can do in an emergency at: