As a farmer or a food manufacturer in Vic, food safety laws must be your top priority. If your products exceed the maximum level of contaminants set by the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, you won’t be allowed to sell them. Hence, allergen testing VLC of your products is vital.
But what to look out for if you want to pass the test?
This article is your guide to food safety laws in Victoria and what parameters you should look into to pass them.
Read on.
Federal laws and requirements
The Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is a government organization responsible for developing and managing food standards.
Their code is split into four sections:
- Introduction and standards that apply to all foods
- Food standards
- Food safety standards
- Primary production standards
Hence, the laws require your business to have knowledgeable people who know how to produce food hygienically.
Local laws and requirements
Local councils are responsible for the registration and overseeing of new food organizations. They enforce both State and Federal requirements through Health Inspectors.
So, Health Inspectors play a crucial role in monitoring food safety. They have authority over:
- Enter a food business property at any time
- Request proof of proper food safety training being done
- Take samples
- Enter without permission
- Issue infringement notices
- If they deem a business to be a severe threat to public health, they can shut it down
Thus, your employees must undergo proper training in food safety.
What happens if you do not comply?
Not complying with the set of laws and regulations set by Federal and State can have concerning consequences:
- Suspending or canceling license: In case of serious offences, your license may be suspended. Hence, your food business and future trading are paused.
- Prosecution: For breaches of legislation, the local council has the right to prosecute you, your employees, or your proprietors.
- Prohibition of seizure orders: If your business threatens public health, your products may be seized. In extreme cases, your property may also be destroyed.
- Fines and infringement: The Health Inspector can impose heavy penalties on your business for violating laws.
- Registering of food offences: Your offences are registered by the local council and made available to the public.
- Brand and reputation damage: Such cases hamper your brand reputation. Hence, they should be avoided at all costs.
How to ensure your product complies with all laws?
The easiest way to ensure your product is safe to hit the shelves is to conduct allergen testing VLC for your products. You should test for common allergens like:
- Gluten
- Peanuts
- Egg
- Dairy
- Soy
Along with many others.
The two main tests that your products should undergo are:
- Mycotoxin Analysis: These include aflatoxins, fumonisin, ochratoxin, etc.
- Virus Testing: The commonly tested viruses are CMV and AMV.
Complying with the food test laws and regulations is vital for your business. Hence, allergen testing your products is crucial.
You can perform other tests like shelf-life tests, microbiological analysis, and pesticide residue tests. These ensure that your product is not a threat to public health and facilitate the smooth functioning of your business.