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Berries leafy vegetables and melons standards
Berries leafy vegetables and melons standards
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Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) completed a review of food safety measures for the primary production and processing of berries, leafy vegetables and melons under Proposal P1052 (external site).
This proposal considered strengthening food safety management on-farm and during initial processing by introducing nationally-consistent food safety standards for the three sectors.
Following extensive consultation, on 8 June 2022 the FSANZ Board approved the introduction of three new horticulture standards which were gazetted on the 12 August 2022 (external site) which include:
There is now a 30-month transition period for implementation from the gazettal date, with implementation required by February 2025.
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Fresh fruit and vegetables are important components of a healthy diet, and Australian horticultural produce is considered safe and nutritious.
However, in Australia and internationally, outbreaks of foodborne illness continue to be associated with the consumption of fresh horticultural produce, including illness due to:
- Salmonella
- E. coli
- Listeria monocytogenes
- Hepatitis A virus and
- Norovirus.
A cost-benefit analysis estimated the current annual cost of illness from microbiological hazards in three key horticulture sectors as: $4.4m for berries, $9.3m for leafy vegetables and $7.1m for melons.
Food safety standards are considered necessary to minimise future outbreaks and ensure control measures can be implemented to help mitigate risks.
Berries
Standard 4.2.7 Primary Production and Processing Standard for Berries (external site) applies to primary producers and to primary processors of berries in Australia. This Standard does not apply to the retail sale of berries or to manufacturing of harvested berries which includes the cooking, freezing, drying, preserving, blending or juicing of harvested berries or the addition of other foods to harvested berries.
As defined in the Standard, berries means fresh berries; and includes strawberries, blueberries, and berries from the genus Rubus.
Key requirements of the standard include:
- notification
- traceability
- inputs – soil, fertiliser and water
- premises and equipment
- skills and knowledge
- health and hygiene of personnel and visitors
- sale or supply of unacceptable berries
There is now a 30-month transition period for industry to implement Standard 4.2.7 Primary Production and Processing Standard for Berries (external site) by no later than the February 2025.
Leafy vegetables
Standard 4.2.8 Primary Production and Processing Standard for Leafy Vegetables (external site) applies to primary producers and to primary processors of leafy vegetables in Australia. This Standard does not apply to the retail sale of leafy vegetables or to manufacturing of harvested leafy vegetables which includes the cooking, freezing, drying, preserving, blending or juicing of harvested leafy vegetables or the addition of other foods to harvested leafy vegetables.
As defined in the Standard, a leafy vegetables means vegetables of a leafy nature where the leaf is consumed raw and includes:
- all lettuces including, iceberg (crisphead), rocket, romaine (cos), red leaf, butterhead, endive, oak leaf, watercress, radicchio, baby leaf, batavia, all other loose-leaf lettuces,
- kale
- chicory
- watercress
- swill chard
- Asian leafy greens (e.g. bok choy),
- all leafy herbs consumed raw (e.g. parsley, basil, coriander, dill, fennel leaves, mint, thyme, rosemary, oregano, marjoram, chives)
- spring onions
- microgreens
- all spinach leaves
- silverbeet and
- cabbage.
Key requirements of the standard include:
- general food safety management requirements
- traceability
- inputs – seed, seedling, soil, fertiliser and water
- growing sites
- weather events
- premises and equipment
- temperature of harvested leafy vegetables
- washing and sanitation of harvested leafy vegetables
- animals and pests
- skills and knowledge
- health and hygiene of personnel and visitors
- sale or supply of unacceptable leafy vegetables.
There is now a 30-month transition period for industry to implement Standard 4.2.8 Primary Production and Processing Standard for Leafy Vegetables (external site) by no later than the February 2025.
Melons
As defined in the Standard, melons means fresh melons; and includes watermelon, rockmelon, honeydew melon, and piel de sapo.
Key requirements of the standard includes:
- general food safety management requirements
- traceability
- inputs – soil, fertiliser and water
- growing sites
- weather events
- premises and equipment
- temperature of harvested melons
- washing and sanitation of harvested melons
- animals and pests
- skills and knowledge
- health and hygiene of personnel and visitors
- sale or supply of unacceptable leafy vegetables
Compliance with the Food Act 2008
Any current GFSI (Global Food Safety Institute) food safety scheme accreditation that a grower has will be recognised and taken into consideration in their registration and ongoing assessments under the Food Act 2008.
Consultation overview
More information about the development of the new Standards including the background, consultation outcomes, the approval report, decision regulation impact statement and cost benefit analysis is available on the
FSANZ website - Proposal P1052 (external site).
Training and resources
A range of resources to support industry with implementation are currently being prepared. This includes:
- factsheets for each industry
- templates:
- registration forms
- Food Safety Management Statement
- Implementation / Compliance Plan for industry to ensure consistent implementation of the Standards
Once available these resources will be loaded onto this webpage.
Last reviewed: 19-08-2022
Produced by
Environmental Health Directorate
Queries about the Standards can be emailed to
foodsafety@health.wa.gov.au