The food safety watchdog Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has called for submissions on whether to allow pet dogs in outdoor areas of eating establishments.

FSANZ Chief Executive Officer, Steve McCutcheon said the Food Standards Code currently doesn’t allow animals, except guide dogs, in areas where food is handled. But he said regulations now vary from state to state about whether dogs have been allowed into dining areas.

Make sure that:

1.  Any venue that serves food must have a qualified Food Safety Supervisor;

2.  All food handlers wear food hygiene protective clothing;

3. Tea towels are not used to wipe hands or surfaces - use paper towel;

4.  All staff are aware of cross contamination of food, knives and chopping boards;

Work in the 1960s revolved around a nine-to-five workday, men supported their wives and children at home and jobs usually involved physical labour.

Staff smoked on the job, even in the office, and there was no call for correct etiquette in the staff kitchen as tea ladies brought mid-morning refreshments around to workers.

Fast forward 50 years and social revolutions have placed women on a more equal standing in the workplace and technology has produced more sedentary and mental work.

According to a national Newspoll survey conducted for the Food Safety Information Council, almost one in five Australians are taking risks by not handling eggs and foods containing raw egg correctly. 

Council Chairman, Dr Michael Eyles, says this creates potential for major food poisoning risks. Food Standards Australia New Zealand estimates there are about 12,800 cases of egg-related salmonellosis per year in Australia, costing $44 million, and that the number of cases is rising.

ACT Chief Minister and Minister for Health, Katy Gallagher, has welcomed the passage of Food Amendment Act 2011 in the ACT Legislative Assembly today.

"The amended Act will provide consumers with more information so they can make more informed choices about where they dine out, improving food safety in the ACT and ensuring increased regulatory transparency," the Chief Minister said.

"Recent problems with some food businesses have highlighted the gaps in knowledge of people working in the industry which is why these amendments were needed," the Chief Minister said.

The accommodation sector is praising the federal government for the development of a new template Labour Agreement which is expected to boost employment prospects for the tourism industry.

The proposed template agreement establishes a common set of requirements tailored specifically for tourism and hospitality businesses recruiting skilled overseas workers, and follows industry discussions at last year's Tourism Employment Roundtable.

A food business is any activity involving the handling of food intended for sale. If the handling of food occurs at a domestic premises, there are a number of special considerations involving approval and food safety which need to be considered.

Licensable home based food businesses
The Food Act 2006 (the Act) requires certain food businesses to hold a licence and some high risk food businesses to also have an accredited food safety program. Home based food business which may require a licence could include:

The Australian Food Safety Information Council today released a national survey that shows on warm days 8% of workers who take a packed lunch make no attempt to keep their packed lunches cool. Of even more concern, 20% of those with children who take a packed lunch to school don’t provide their children with a frozen drink or ice brick to help keep their packed lunch cool.

Following a Herald Sun investigation into the failure of local and state authorities to adequately alert the public to potential dining risks, the Health Department has named nine food outlets linked to serious food poisoning outbreaks, months after the event.

The nine businesses named as having been investigated over food poisoning scares since October 2010 include a major city hotel, a CBD Indian restaurant, and two regional hotels.