The NSW Food Authority has announced its support of last week’s Food Allergy Awareness Week, 16-22 May, in an effort to remind consumers and industry of the importance of understanding the role of food labels in protecting against allergic reaction. “The Food Act and Food Standards Code also requires all food businesses in NSW, including cafes and restaurants, to provide information about the ingredients contained in their food,” said NSW Food Authority CEO Alan Coutts. Food businesses... ...Read more »

The NSW Food Authority has fined a Newtown cafe for “failing to ensure that food for disposal (recalled Bonsoy soy milk) was kept separate from other products”. The company has been fined $660 for failing to comply with the standards required by the Food Standards Code. Bonsoy was recalled in December last year by its importer, Spiral Foods, after unusually high levels of iodine were found in the product. Since then, the ban on the recalled product has been repeatedly flouted by cafes,... ...Read more »

The New South Wales Food Authority has reported NSW food outlets for a number of violations, including two outlets who served cockroaches in food, and one butcher who adulterated meat with sulfur dioxide. Delicious Noodle Taree was fined $2420 for selling food with cockroaches, as well as having live and dead cockroaches on the premises and failing to take pest control measures. The Bankstown Bakehouse was fined $550 for selling a loaf of bread with a cockroach baked into one slice. Yagoona Halal... ...Read more »

Consumers, cafés and restaurants need to be aware of the potential health risks associated with eating poorly handled raw egg products, NSW Primary Industries Minister Steve Whan has warned.The advice was issued following confirmation of a Salmonella outbreak associated with a food retailer in Albury that saw over 130 people reporting to local health authorities with food poisoning symptoms after eating at the outlet. Some of the victims required hospitalisation. “Investigations by NSW Food... ...Read more »

Retail outlets have been warned to heed product recall advice after food safety authorities responded to a complaint that alleged an inner Sydney café was still using Bonsoy soy milk – a product that was subject to a nationwide recall in December. NSW Minister for Primary Industries Steve Whan advised today that any company selling goods that have been recalled would face a heavy penalty. “Ignorance is no excuse, the NSW Food Authority issued advice prior to Christmas of the recall of... ...Read more »

The NSW Government unveiled their inaugural food inspection report card on Sunday, detailing the amount of food inspections, fines and prosecutions handed down in every council across the State for the past year. NSW Minister for Primary Industries Steve Whan said the report by the NSW Food Authority reveals that more than 56,000 inspections were carried out at more than 36,000 food businesses in one year. “This is the most comprehensive report card of food inspection activity ever compiled... ...Read more »

Food from NSW restaurants, take-aways, bakeries, caterers, pubs and clubs will be safer to eat when legislation passed by the State Government this week takes effect, according to the state’s Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald. “The new Food Amendment (Food Safety Supervisor) Bill will require food businesses in the NSW hospitality and retail food service sector to appoint a food safety supervisor,” he advised. “These Food Safety Supervisors will need to complete... ...Read more »

A new NSW Government scheme to allow independent experts to review food safety management systems will cut red tape and costs for food businesses while maintaining food safety standards, according to the NSW Food Authority. Suitably qualified, skilled and accredited independent auditors can now apply to the Food Authority for registration as eligible third-party auditors. The Authority’s Director of Industry Liaison, Mr Peter Sutherland, said the new arrangement from October will initially... ...Read more »

A NSW Government crackdown on illegal “backyard ” meat processors in Sydney has today shutdown seven unlicensed operators from selling high-risk smallgood products. Inspectors from the NSW Food Authority targeted illicit meat processors, issuing prohibition orders and confiscating almost 120 kilograms of homemade nem chua – a Vietnamese-style fermented pork mince. NSW Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald said that it served as a warning to anyone happy to flout the law. “The... ...Read more »

Five energy drinks have been removed from New South Wales shelves following investigations highlighting caffeine levels more than 30 per cent above the legal limit. In all, of the 70 drinks tested, only 16 (or 23%) complied with the Food Standards Code, while 8 had caffeine levels more than 30 per cent above the legal limit. The NSW Food Authority has contacted the makers of the three more than 30 per cent above the limit that have not yet be banned to ask them to remedy the situation. The Authority... ...Read more »