When patrons walk in your door for a meal, they are placing their trust in you. Your patrons are relying on you to serve them food which is safe and prepared in a clean kitchen. You might have heard of some of the restaurants in Australia which are paying massive settlements to customers who were sickened; and in one case, killed by the food they were served at these establishments.

How can you be sure that the food which comes out of your kitchen is safe to eat? Even one mistake which leads to customer illness can seriously and permanently damage the reputation of your business. In most cases, these are mistakes which could be easily avoided.

One of the most common problems is salmonella poisoning which causes stomach cramps, diarrhoea, vomiting, and dehydration in its victims. This is most often a result of poor hygiene when handling food and inadequate oven cooking temperatures.

In 2004, food from the Sofia Pizza restaurant sickened at least 33 patrons. In 2003, 135 people who had become ill as a result of the food served at Thanh Phu in Footscray filed a class action suit. You can’t assume that this could never happen to your business; be sure to protect your restaurant. Food safety should be a primary concern for anyone who owns a restaurant or catering business.

Victoria, Australia has stringent regulations governing food safety. There are several different authorities with which businesses must register, depending on the type of food served by the business. There are also standards in place which cover the export and import of foods.

The Food Safety Programme (FSP) details a number of requirements for keeping your kitchen clean and safe. First of all, all measuring devices should be calibrated annually and tested mid-year. A log should be kept listing when sauces and other foods are thawed so there will be a record of the time frame in which they should be used. The temperature of delivery trucks and delivered packages should be measured and recorded in said log. Records should also be kept as to when “high risk” foods are discarded.

The law dictates that fines are to be imposed if these conditions are not met. These regulations apply to stores, restaurants and food stands as well.

There are many food safety regulations in place. It is vitally important that your business adhere to them; your reputation and your finances are both at stake. There are training programs available to ensure that all of your staff are aware of the regulations. This will help your business to avoid making a mistake with food safety and potentially save your business a lot of money.

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