Food safety and hygiene

Compliance with the Healthy Food and Drink policy, includes food safety and hygiene requirements. Principals must ensure the canteen:

1. understands their obligations to sell food in accordance with the Food Act 2008 (WA) including but not limited to:
   • canteen workers and volunteers have completed FoodSafe Food Handler training or its equivalent
   • schools notify the local council prior to conducting a charitable or community event involving food
   • food prepared for sale is only made in approved premises; food prepared in a home that has not been approved as a food business must not be sold in a canteen.
2. complies with the requirements under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, including Food Safety Standards:
   • 2.2* – Specifies the requirements for food safety and general practices
   • 2.3  – Specifies the requirements for food premises and equipment
   • 2.3* – Information regarding mandatory food allergen declarations

* Covered in FoodSafe Food Handler Training, or its equivalent; download the Food Safety Standard 3.2.3 fact sheet.

Food safety and hygiene training

Training should be completed by paid staff and volunteers. Training can be completed in a number of ways, we recommend the following three options:

1. Attend WASCA’s food safety and hygiene training (face to face or video conference). Our training is based on FoodSafe training and is customised to school canteens. The learning outcomes for Food safety and hygiene training as delivered by WASCA are:
   • Demonstrate an understanding of the scope of the Healthy Food and Drink (HFD) policy; including 5 areas of compliance
   • Demonstrate an understanding of food safety and hygiene requirements
   • Demonstrate an understanding of allergy management requirements, including legal responsibilities
   • Increase knowledge of food safety and hygiene practices
   • Increase confidence to implement food safety and hygiene practices

   Email wasca@education.wa.edu.au to enquire, fees are $15 for members or $20 for non-members

2. Complete FoodSafe® Online – to access the training for FREE using a ‘WASCA Unique Code’, see the WASCA training page or
3. FoodSafe Online and training packages can be purchased from Environmental Health Australia; $35.

If you are interested in completing more advanced training Food Safety Australia have a number of online courses, such as Food Handlers Certificate Course, fees apply.

More Information

The Federation of Canteens in Schools (FOCIS), and the National Allergy Strategy developed two great posters for canteens. The Food safety in school canteens poster and the Food allergy in school canteens poster contain simple steps to ensure food prepared and sold in the school canteen in done so safely.

The Handle with care poster can be displayed in the canteen as a reminder of the importance to prepare and serve food at appropriate temperatures

The National Food Safety Standards are applicable to all businesses that sell food, including school canteens.  The ‘Looking after our Kids’ video was developed some time ago (2002) however as this explains the Standards in a school canteen context we encourage you to watch the video, available via YouTube.

For further support and advice about food safety and hygiene, including the level of food preparation permitted in your canteen, please contact your local Environmental Health Officer. See your local council website for contact details.