ISFR meeting outcome – 29 to 30 May 2024

Summary of key discussions and outcomes from the Implementation Subcommittee for Food Regulation (ISFR) meeting held on 29 to 30 May 2024.

Overview

The Implementation Subcommittee for Food Regulation (ISFR) met in Sydney, Australia on 29 to 30 May 2024.

The ISFR aims to ensure food regulation is consistently implemented, monitored and enforced.

ISFR members:

  • are heads of agencies or senior operational experts
  • can make and implement decisions about compliance and enforcement issues in their jurisdictions.

The ISFR meeting also include updates from ISFR working groups, including the Incident Response Working Group, and the Surveillance, Evidence and Analysis Working Group.

Key discussions

The key discussions were about:

Preventing foodborne illness

  • The Priority 1 strategy (Preventing foodborne illness 2018 – 2021+) continues, as protecting food safety and the consumer continues to be a priority for ISFR.
  • Food Ministers have agreed that food safety remains one of the agreed new four Strategic Outcomes for the Joint Food Regulatory System (safe and suitable food; healthy food supply; informed and empowered consumers; and a thriving food economies).
  • The Food Regulatory System is progressing the development of a strategic Plan that will provide a framework for the Strategic Outcomes. The way forward for the P1 Foodborne Illness Reduction Strategy will be integrated as part of this process.

A focus on Campylobacterosis

  • A potential future focus area under ‘safe and suitable food’ includes continuing to pay particular attention to reducing Campylobacter,throughout the food chain, recognised as Australia’s highest bacterial foodborne pathogen.

Electrolyte claims on alcoholic products - non-compliance issue

  • ISFR discussed correspondence received, raising concerns in relation to alcoholic products making electrolyte claims (including via marketing materials). ISFR noted that Standard 1.2.7 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) prohibits nutrition content claims on food that contains more than 1.15% alcohol by volume, other than a nutrition claim about energy, carbohydrate or gluten content. ISFR shared information where jurisdictions have investigated potential non-compliance by businesses and actions that had been taken in relation to electrolyte claims associated with alcoholic beverages.

Local government reports

The meeting included reports on activities and key matters for local government:

  • Australian Capital Territory
  • New South Wales
  • Northern Territory
  • Queensland
  • South Australia
  • Tasmania
  • Victoria
  • Western Australia
  • New Zealand
  • Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ).

Australian Capital Territory

  • A gastroenteritis outbreak was investigated from a food business hosting a private function.  77 cases were confirmed from the 233 people who attended the event. The food safety inspection did not identify an ongoing risk to the public. Inconsistencies with the food businesses’ application of their staff illness and exclusion policy was found. Five attendees who submitted their stool samples were positive for norovirus. The symptom profile was consistent with laboratory results from the stool samples indicating the causative agent as norovirus.
  • Food inspections were done at Summernats 2024 (a large event attracting over 130 000 attendees, 34 food vendors). Food Safety compliance was high.
  • Over 250 food safety inspections were done at the National Multicultural Festival. There was a high rate of food safety compliance however there were eleven disposals of unsafe food.
  • Environmental Health carried out food inspections at the National Folk Festival and the Enlighten Festival declared events. Compliance rate was high.

New South Wales

  • The NSW Food Authority partners with local councils and other agencies to monitor food safety across the food service sector.
  • The Food Authority runs regular training for the professional development of authorised officers. Training in 2024 has so far focussed on issuing improvement and penalty notices.
  • Quarterly Retail Information Sessions share knowledge with local food businesses. Fifty-eight attended a successful session with Port Macquarie-Hastings Council on 20 February 2024. The next session is on 4 June 2024 in the Northern Beaches Council area.
  • NSW continues to explore the creation of a shared food inspection data platform.

Northern Territory

The Environmental Health Leadership Group meets bi-monthly and consists of key personnel from the Environmental Health strategy and services units. The meeting includes discussion on standards implementation and national considerations.

Queensland

  • The 2022 to 2023 financial year reporting of local government activities under the Food Act 2006 (Local Government Report) has been completed by Queensland Health.
  • The Local Government Report has been developed using ArcGIS software. An interactive map of all Local Government Areas in Queensland has been included. The map displays results and trends in local government activities.
  • Planning for the 2023 to 2024 financial year report has started.

South Australia

  • SA Health continue to work closely with local government as regulators of food businesses. This has included:
    • undertaking a joint investigation of a Salmonella outbreak at an aged care facility 
    • providing resources on the potential risks with the potential sale of wild mushrooms by food businesses.

Tasmania

  • DoH and NRE continue to work with local government as co-regulators in the food regulation system. The main collaborations for this reporting period were:
    • The start of Standard 3.2.2A
    • Planning for the start of the Chapter 4 Horticulture Standards in February 2025
    • A statewide, online meeting of Environmental Health Officers hosted by DoH Tas on 14 March 2024.

Victoria

Implementation of the FoodTrader platform has been launched for temporary and mobile food premises. Further functionality continues to be implemented. Development of the application for fixed food premises is under review due to budget constraints.

Western Australia

  • WA Health acknowledge the ongoing regulatory food safety activities undertaken across WA local governments.

To support these activities WA Health:

  • continues to work through the recommendations from the Statutory review of the Food Act 2008. Development of guidance material to support local government in their administration and interpretation of the Act is being finalised.
  • is supporting local government to prepare for the implementation of the Primary Production and Processing Standards for Horticulture. Activities since the start of the year have included:
  • training EHOs in horticulture food safety risks.
  • establishment of a Regulatory Working Group aiming for a consistent approach to implementation.
  • has agreed an implementation plan to support the WA Foodborne Illness Reduction Strategy 2023-2026. The aim of this work is to reduce foodborne illness related to Campylobacter and Salmonella.

New Zealand

  • MPI’s New Zealand Food Safety is on track to put in place all remaining services and systems needed by the Food Act 2014. Once complete:
    • the Food Act 2014 will be aligned with the New Zealand Food Control System.
    • we will be meeting the aims of the Food Act 2014.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ)

FSANZ reported it continues to support the Food Regulation System priorities through its work on data sharing & data analytics and non-regulatory tools to support Standard 3.2.2A – Food Safety Management Tools including an update to Safe Food Australia and fact sheets and animations. For the three new primary production and processing standards for berries, leafy vegetables and melons, similar awareness raising tools and guidance material has been updated on the FSANZ website. Work continues on Proposal P1060 Review of the Egg Primary Production and Processing Standard, Health Star Rating system; Branded Food Database; as well as FSANZ modernisation.

Next meeting

The ISFR will meet again (virtually- online only) in December 2024.

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