Food Regulation 2025

NSW Food Regulation 2025 - commenced 1 September 2025

The NSW Food Regulation 2025 is now in effect. The new Regulation remakes the previous 2015 Regulation with amendments.

The NSW Food Regulation is the regulatory framework for the NSW Food Act 2003, which ensures food for sale in NSW is safe to eat.    

The Food Authority sought feedback on proposed changes in the Draft Food Regulation in November 2024 and considered all submissions.

The Regulation was revised following public consultation to address feedback received from berries, leafy greens and melon stakeholders.

The Food Regulation 2025 was published on the NSW legislation website on 22 August with a commencement date of 1 September 2025.

Key changes in the Food Regulation 2025 include:

• introducing a licensing scheme for berry, leafy vegetable and melon businesses from 12 February 2026 to implement new national standards in the Food Standards Code. Growers with less than 2 cultivated hectares will not require a licence but will need to notify their details to the Food Authority and comply with the national standards
• establishing a plant products industry consultative committee  
• setting permanent requirements for licensed egg producers to manage Salmonella Enteritidis food safety risks
• a new fee for businesses to resume operation after receiving a prohibition order due to a serious food safety issue  
• laboratories must report any food samples that fail set microbiological standards to the Food Authority in writing within 24 hours of completing the analysis
• food businesses must let the Food Authority know verbally within 24 hours and in writing within 48 hours of a food sample that has failed set microbiological standards  
• Food Safety Supervisor (FSS) students are required to complete the full course through one approved Registered Training Organisation (RTO), not split between multiple RTOs
• Registered Training Organisations will only be able to apply for late issuing of a Food Safety Supervisor certificate to a maximum of 6 months
• increasing fees and penalty notices  
• updating references.

Some businesses will experience increased costs under the NSW Food Regulation 2025. Higher fees and penalty notices will enable the NSW Food Authority to strengthen its enforcement operations. These operations aim to give consumers confidence that food businesses are producing food that is safe and suitable.

The NSW Food Safety Schemes Manual has been updated to reflect changes to notification and reporting requirements.  Updates were also made to the Manual for manufacturing UCFM in NSW to improve clarity and strengthen compliance. Note: this version does not yet include details relating to berries, leafy vegetables or melons.

Key links:

• Food Regulation 2025
• Comparison – Food Regulation 2015 and Food Regulation 2025 (PDF, 290 KB)
• NSW Food Safety Schemes manual
• Food Safety Scheme Manual | Summary of changes (September 2025) (PDF, 108 KB)
• Manual for manufacturing UCFM in NSW (PDF, 364 KB)
• Manual for manufacturing UCFM | Summary of changes (September 2025) (PDF, 145 KB)

Further information

Learn more about the NSW Food Regulation on our legislation page.