The kitchen is run under the Victorian Food Act 1984 to be annually registered with the Glen Eira City Council, who requires the centre to have an appropriate Food Safety Program.
In addition, the cook has a Food Safety Program which is required to be approved by an external food safety auditor, to ensure that the centre itself complies with the audit requirement of the Victorian Food Act 1984.
Effective food safety practices:
- reflect the Food Safety Standards for Australia in relation to safety practices, premises and equipment standards;
- reinforce consistent food safety practices in the service;
- reduce the risk of potential food-borne illnesses;
- identify potentially hazardous foods;
- are regularly reviewed; and
- comply with legislative requirements whilst maintaining a flexible approach to meet best practice.
It is understood by staff/carers, children and families that there is a shared responsibility between LEL and its families to implement the Food Safety Policy and hygiene procedures as a high priority.
Staff understand there is a duty of care to implement and adhere to the centre’s Food Safety Policy and ensure a level of protection to all persons who access the centre’s facilities and/or programs.
Our centre is registered with the City of Glen Eira and we receive regular safety checks. We are also registered with Food Hygiene Australia and receive external food audits annually.
- We have a Food Safety supervisor and most staff have completed a food handler’s course and periodically food safety and hygiene practices are discussed and reviewed with all staff.
- We follow our Food Safety Program which outlines personal hygiene practices, preparation and cooking of food, hazard analysis, hazard control, food handling procedures, receipt of goods and storage.
- Food is to be stored in an appropriate manner and all necessary documentation in place to validate correct food storage.
- Staff wash hands thoroughly before handling food to minimize the spread of food borne illnesses and the cross contamination of different foods.
- Hand washing is required before and after handling food, before mealtimes with children, before feeding an infant a bottle or after disposing of food waste.
- Children need to wash their hands before eating or preparing food; the staff are expected to role model good hand washing techniques
- An internal, annual Food & Safety Policy audit to be held.
- The personal hygiene standards practiced by the cook and other staff in the kitchen will form part of the centre’s hygiene risk minimisation practices.
Any external, commercially prepared food i.e., birthday cakes, will have all ingredients recorded.
Sourced: Food Standards Australia New Zealand
Education and Care Services National Regulation Food safety Victoria 2001
GB food plan templates 2005
Policy reviewed August 2017
