Food Safety

Every year around two million Australians are affected by foodborne illnesses or food poisoning.

Here you'll find practical information ranging from how to prepare, store and reheat certain foods, to an explanation of Australian food labelling standards. There's also information on specific Food Safety topics, such as Food Irradiation and Listeria and Pregnancy.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand has a range of fact sheets on Food Safety issues.

Updated September 2008

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Related HealthInsite Topics
Food Storage and Handling
HealthInsite Topic Page
Links to information about safe ways to handle and store food.
Genetically Modified Foods
HealthInsite Topic Page
Links to information about genetically modified (GM) foods.
Food Regulation
HealthInsite Topic Page
Links to information food regulation by governments.
Listeria and Listeriosis
HealthInsite Topic Page
Links to information about listeria bacteria and associated listeriosis infections.
Salmonella
HealthInsite Topic Page
Links to information on salmonella infections.
51 Resources Found
Results 1 to 20 displayed.
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Title:   Microwave ovens - safety issues
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   The microwave oven can be hazardous if not used correctly. Common dangers include unevenly cooked foods and scalds from escaping steam. Radiation leaks are possible from damaged ovens but the risk is small. A microwave oven cannot be used to sterilise jars or bottles, including babies' bottles.
Date:   Oct 2009
Title:   Haemolytic uraemic syndrome
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) is a rare condition, which can be caused by toxic strains of E.coli bacteria. HUS causes acute renal impairment and can lead to chronic kidney damage or death from kidney failure. Children under five years of age are at greatest risk of developing HUS.
Date:   Aug 2009
Title:   Snacks for children - easy read
Publisher:   Child and Youth Health - CYH (South Australia)
Description:   Food for child care, kindy, school, home and outings. Children need a range of healthy foods to grow, learn and play.
Date:   Jul 2009
Title:   Breast milk expressing - myDr.com.au
Publisher:   myDr
Description:   There are a number of reasons why a breast feeding mother might wish to express milk rather than feeding the baby directly from the breast.
Date:   May 2009
Title:   Freezing food
Publisher:   Child and Youth Health - CYH (South Australia)
Description:   You can freeze almost any food, but being able to freeze the food and being pleased with the quality of the food after defrosting are two different things.
Date:   May 2009
Title:   Stay safe in the kitchen (easy read)
Publisher:   Child and Youth Health - CYH (South Australia)
Description:   The kitchen is a great place for kids. BUT it can be dangerous. You could get into trouble.
Date:   May 2009
Title:   School lunches
Publisher:   Child and Youth Health - CYH (South Australia)
Description:   Many children eat much of their food each day away from home. Although some services provide meals, parents often need to send enough food along for the day. Foods will stay fresher and taste better if they're individually wrapped.
Date:   Mar 2009
Title:   Bottle feeding - cleaning and sterilising bottles and equipment
Publisher:   Child and Youth Health - CYH (South Australia)
Description:   If your baby is not breastfeeding, the only other safe milks to give to a babyare infant formulas. Formulas are modified milks that are made to be as close as possible to breastmilk, but there are still a lot of extras in breastmilk that cannot be put into formulas.
Date:   Feb 2009
Title:   Foodborne disease in Australia Annual reports of the OzFoodNet network
Publisher:   Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Description:   OzFoodNet conducts surveillance on foodborne disease to investigate, describe and understand foodborne disease at the national level to provide better evidence of how to prevent foodborne illness. This page contains links to OzFoodNet annual reports from 2001. Documents are available in both HTML and PDF format.
Date:   Jan 2009
Title:   Food Policy Section
Publisher:   Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Description:   The Food Policy Section is responsible for providing national leadership on the regulation of the food supply. The Section also promotes a nationally consistent approach to food policy and regulation, and develops advice and policy for the Australian Government at both a national and international level.
Date:   Jan 2009
Title:   Notice of publication of request for review of A552
Publisher:   Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Description:   Food Ministers request a review of variation to Standard 1.4.1 - Contaminants and Natural Toxicants, that has resulted from Application A552 - Cadmium in Peanuts
Date:   Dec 2008
Title:   Botulism
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Botulism is a rare but potentially fatal condition that causes progressive weakness. It is caused by toxins made by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium.The bacterium can be found in soil, sediments, raw foods (including seafoods) and honey.
Date:   Nov 2008
Title:   Media release. Senator McLucas launches food safety advertisements
Publisher:   Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Description:   The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Jan McLucas, has launched two new TV community service advertisements to ensure that consumers are aware of the food poisoning risks when preparing food at home.
Date:   Nov 2008
Title:   Pregnancy advice (preconception Advice)
Publisher:   Virtual Medical Centre.com
Description:   Pregnancy advice written by Medical health professionals including advice on the signs of pregnancy.
Date:   Nov 2008
Title:   Hygiene
Publisher:   Child and Youth Health - CYH (South Australia)
Description:   One of the most effective ways we have to protect ourselves, and others, from a lot of illnesses is good hygiene.
Date:   Nov 2008
Title:   Packing a lunch box
Publisher:   Raising Children Network (RCN)
Description:   How much and what to pack in a lunch box is discussed, as well as keeping foods fresh and safe.
Date:   Nov 2008
Title:   Work issues - infection control
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Infection control in the workplace begins by assuming that everyone is potentially infectious. Basic techniques include regular hand washing and keeping the workplace clean. Every workplace should have an appropriate first aid kit, with at least one staff member trained in first aid. Equipment such as gloves, gowns, eye goggles and face shields should be provided if necessary.
Date:   Oct 2008
Title:   Food - 'use-by' and 'best before' dates
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Most packaged foods have a 'use-by' or 'best before' date stamped on the box, wrapper or bottle. This date gives you an idea of how long the food will last before it loses quality. Foods that should not be consumed after a certain date for health and safety reasons, such as a ready-to-eat chilled lasagne, must have a 'use-by' date. Foods still need to be properly stored to remain fresh and safe.
Date:   Oct 2008
Title:   Water tanks and dams - safety tips
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Drinking water from bores, rivers, dams or rainwater tanks can be contaminated by faeces, pesticides, dust, arsenic and heavy metals, dead animals and lead. After a bushfire drinking water may be contaminated by ash and debris and fire retardants. Contaminated water can cause serious illness such as gastroenteritis and Cryptosporidium and Giardia infections. Some water supplies can be disinfected.
Date:   Sep 2008
Title:   Food poisoning
Publisher:   Child and Youth Health - CYH (South Australia)
Description:   There are germs all around us. Most of them are not harmful to us and many of them are good for us. Sometimes there can be germs in food which can make us very ill.
Date:   Aug 2008
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