Food monitoring programs

The Western Australian Food Monitoring Program (WAFMP) is a coordinated initiative led by the Department of Health, in partnership with local government authorities, to ensure that food available to the Western Australian community remains safe, suitable, and compliant with national food safety standards. The program provides broad oversight across the entire food supply chain, from primary production and processing through to retail.  In the surveys, various tests and checks are conducted to check that food is safe and suitable, including:

• Agricultural chemical residues such as pesticides and herbicides
• Microbiological safety and quality
• Chemicals and heavy metals
• Allergens
• Labelling compliance

When a non-compliance with the national food standards code is identified, the Department of Health works closely with the local government authorities to mitigate the risk to public health and ensure the food businesses and primary producers address any food safety gaps in their operations.

Agriculture chemicals residue survey

Since 1989, routine surveys of fresh fruit and vegetables for sale in Western Australia were undertaken to ensure only permitted agriculture chemicals are used. Chemical residues are tested to ensure that they do not exceed the “Maximum Residue Limit” (MRL) prescribed in the national food standards.

Fresh fruit and vegetable samples are collected from various points of the food supply chain, including wholesale markets, distribution centres, and retail outlets. When an MRL exceedance has been identified, a traceback to the farm of origin is conducted to identify the failure in primary production controls that may have caused the exceedance.

Link to past reports below:

• Fruit, vegetables and agricultural chemicals 2023 monitoring survey (PDF 500KB)
• 200 Agricultural Chemical Residue Survey of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables (PDF 750KB) 
• Fruit, Vegetables and Agricultural Chemicals 2017-18 Monitory Survey (PDF 750KB)
• Monitoring Agricultural Chemical Residue Levels in Fresh Fruit and Vegetables (PDF 760KB)

Microbiological monitoring of high-risk foods

The Department of Health also undertakes regular microbiological surveillance of high-risk foods such as dairy products, smallgoods and Ready-to-Eat (RTE) foods. In the manufacture of high-risk foods, multiple control points must be in place to control the potential hazards. At any point where a control point has been compromised, the high-risk food may potentially become unsafe.

In addition to end-point monitoring of high-risk foods purchased from retail stores for harmful pathogens, the microbiological and chemical quality of food is also measured to identify any potential compromise of manufacturing and hygiene controls.

Collaboration with the Local Health Authorities Analytical Committee (LHAAC)

In addition to surveys directly coordinated by the Department of Health, the Local Health Authorities Analytical Committee (LHAAC) works closely with the Department to design targeted surveys to identify potential community health risks.

LHAAC coordinates with the 137 local governments across Western Australia to collect food samples and related food safety data for analysis.