Food Act and Food Standards Code
- Food Act 2006 and related legislation
- Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (and food safety standards)
- Food medicine interface
Food Act 2006 and related legislation
The Food Act 2006 (the Act) is the primary food safety legislation in Queensland and applies to all Queensland food businesses. The objectives of the Act are to:
- ensure food for sale is safe and suitable for human consumption,
- to prevent misleading conduct in relation to the sale of food
- to apply the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.
The Act manages food safety according to the level of risk that the food business presents to the community. The higher the level of risk, the higher the level of food safety regulation.
Enforcement of the Act is a joint responsibility of Queensland Health and Local Government.
There are other pieces of food safety legislation in Queensland that address food safety at a different level of the food supply chain:
- Food Regulation 2016 (the Regulation)—prescribes details in relation to licensable food businesses, display of licence details by mobile premises, isolation of contaminants in food and fees for applications.
- Food Production (Safety) Act 2000—regulates the production of primary produce for which a food safety scheme applies, as detailed in the Food Production (Safety) Regulation 2014. Currently, the following schemes are included:
- egg and egg products
- dairy produce
- meat and meat products (including pet meat and rendered products)
Enforcement of the Food Production (Safety) Act 2000 in Queensland is the responsibility of Safe Food Production Queensland.
- Food Production (Safety) Regulation 2014—is subordinate legislation to the Food Production (Safety) Act 2000.
The Act does not apply to therapeutic products including dietary aids and supplements registered by the Therapeutic Goods Adminstration. To determine if a product is a food or a medicine, the Food-Medicine Interface Guidance Tool can be used.
Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code
The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) is a national standard that is adopted by all Australian States and Territories (and New Zealand) into their own food legislation. It covers:
- standards for food safety and hygiene
- fit-out of food premises
- labelling, composition and advertising of food.
Keep up with code revisions and changes.
Enforcement of the Code in Queensland is a joint responsibility of Queensland Health and Local Government.
Food safety standards
The food safety standards are part of the Code and apply across Australia.
The standards reflect international best practice. They outline the obligations of food businesses in relation to:
- Food safety practices and general requirements (Standard 3.2.2)
- Food premises and equipment (Standard 3.2.3)
Read more about the Food Safety Standards and Code
Food medicine interface
Generally a product that is swallowed will be either a food or a form of therapeutic good (a medicine). Often, claims made about a product or the appearance of the product may suggest that it is a therapeutic good. However, the fact that health claims are made about a product does not automatically make it a therapeutic good. Nor does the fact that the product comes in capsules or powders, or is labelled as a 'dietary supplement'.
The potential regulatory overlap between certain foods and medicines is referred to as the 'food-medicine interface' where regulators determine whether the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 or state or territory food legislation covers particular products.
To determine if a product is a food or a medicine, the Food-Medicine Interface Guidance Tool can be used.