Food safety programs & HACCP

On this page

• When a food safety program is needed
• Developing a food safety program
• HACCP

When a food safety program is needed

Food safety programs are designed to help businesses identify and manage hazards from food and its handling.

Food law and licence conditions require most licensed food businesses to have a food safety program.

A business that only needs to notify the Authority of its activities is not required by law to have a food safety program in place. Some choose to use one anyway.

All food businesses must comply with relevant food regulations whether part of a food safety program or not. See: industry sector requirements 

Developing a food safety program

Program templates for some of the businesses requiring a licence can be found under industry sector requirements. To help others develop and implement a food safety program, the Authority offers two resources:

• general guidelines for the development and implementation of a food safety program (pdf, 226kb)
• template for a food safety program (doc, 550kb)

Food businesses are responsible for customising the template to reflect the:

• hazards
• management practices, and
• any relevant licensing regulations 

appropriate to them.

HACCP

HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point.

Licensed food businesses must implement and maintain a food safety program based on Codex’ HACCP, or Standard 3.2.1 of the Food Standards Code.

Programs are certified by the Authority for NSW food law purposes after being audited by a person authorised by the Authority. See cll 18-19.

NSW food law does not require HACCP-based or certified programs in notified food businesses. Businesses may choose to undertake certification in schemes run by private sector organisations for other reasons, however.

The Authority can not:

• offer information about private sector HACCP certification, including costs
• endorse any HACCP-accredited business or provider
• customise food safety programs or the template above for individual businesses, or
• provide contacts for organisations that run HACCP accreditation schemes.

HACCP is an internationally recognised system used to identify and manage risk.

The principles of HACCP are:

• hazard analysis
• identifying critical control points
• establishing critical limits
• monitoring
• taking corrective action
• keeping records, and
• verifying results.