Food Safety Appraisal

A Food Safety Appraisal can help to identify if your setting is carrying out appropriate safe food handling practices and providing a safe food environment for children and staff. A Food Safety Appraisal is intended for early childhood settings that are not required to have an authorised Food Safety Audit as part of their licensing requirements but still wish to ensure a high standard of food safety.

If you hold a food business license and are required to have a Food Safety Audit carried out by a government authorised food safety auditor, please refer to our Food Safety Desktop and Compliance Audits below.

During the Food Safety Appraisal, a Food Foundations Dietitian/Nutritionist will visit your setting for 1.5hrs during a mealtime to observe the meal preparation, serving and clean up. The Dietitian/Nutritionist will complete an observation checklist, ask to view copies of your food safety policies and prepare a report of the findings.

For early childhood settings not required to hold a food business license, Food Foundations Food Safety Appraisals are an excellent way to demonstrate compliance with the National Quality Standards, in particular Element 2.1.3 – Effective hygiene practices are promoted and implemented.

Food Safety Desktop Audit

Early Childhood Settings that are required to be a licensable food business are required to have a food safety program, which is to be submitted for approval to your local government authority.

Food Foundations staff member, Laura Cella (FSA/0141) is a Queensland Health authorised Third-Party Auditor and is qualified to conduct audits in early childhood settings Queensland wide.

Desktop audits are completed off site (so no visit to your setting is required). The auditor will review your Food Safety Program to ensure it complies with set food safety criteria and determine whether the implementation of the Food Safety Program is reasonably likely to effectively control the food safety hazards in your setting. A comprehensive report will be compiled and submitted to your local council for consideration of your application for accreditation of your Food Safety Program.

Food Safety Onsite Compliance Audit

Once your food safety program is submitted to your local council, your early childhood setting then needs to have a Food Safety Onsite Compliance Audit to evaluate food handling practices for Food Licence certification. Food Foundations staff member, Laura Cella (FSA/0141) is a Queensland Health authorised Third-Party Auditor and is qualified to conduct audits in early childhood services. She is available to conduct Onsite Compliance Audit in Brisbane and surrounding areas.

During the visit the auditor will observe your early childhood setting in operation; ensuring practices are consistent with the information provided in your food safety program. Following the onsite visit a comprehensive report will be compiled outlining the evidence for compliance or non-compliance and any corrective action required. One copy will be submitted to your local council and one copy will be sent to your setting for your records.

For more information or to make a booking please contact Food Foundations:

Office hours: Mon – Fri 9:00am – 4:00pm

Ph: (07) 3257 4393

Email: foodfoundations@naqld.org