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Antimicrobial resistance and food safety

Antimicrobial resistance and food safety Practising good food safety can reduce the risk of foodborne illness and help limit the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Microorganisms, including bacteria, are everywhere. They can spread through the interactions and movement of people, animals, food and the environment. Some bacteria are good, some are harmful, and some are resistant to antibiotics (which are antimicrobials). Everyone can play a role in slowing the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria.  The Australian food supply is one of the safest in the world, but people can still get sick from eating contaminated foods. Foodborne illness can be caused by bacteria and in some cases these bacteria can also be antimicrobial resistant. This means the steps we…

Published 8 July 2025

Food safety basics

Food safety basics Follow these key steps to reduce the risk of foodborne illness for yourself, your family and friends. Check your food is safe to use Before you prepare any food, make sure it is safe:

• For people vulnerable to illness, avoid higher risk foods - read Food safety for vulnerable people to find out more.
• For people with food allergies, check the ingredients and allergen statements on packaging.
• All food recalls consumers need to know about are listed on our…

  Published 8 July 2025

2024 food recall data released

2024 food recall data released We have released data on 2024 food recall statistics, offering key insights to support industry in managing food safety risks. FSANZ coordinated 95 food recalls in 2024, a 16% increase on 2023. Undeclared allergens remained the leading cause of recalls, mostly due to labelling errors, with milk and gluten the most commonly involved allergens. Microbial contamination and foreign matter were other leading reasons for recalls, though microbial recalls declined after rising in previous years. Mixed and processed foods were the most frequently recalled product category. The total number of recalls in 2024 is above the 10-year average of 86 recalls annually. This increase can indicate particular issues in the food supply but also shows system safeguards are working. Over time, wider regulatory oversight,…

Published 5 June 2025

Principles and Practices of Dietary Exposure Assessment for Food Regulatory Purposes

Principles and Practices of Dietary Exposure Assessment for Food Regulatory Purposes The purpose of this document is to:

• identify the principles Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) follows when conducting dietary exposure assessments
• provide a broad overview of the process of estimating dietary exposure to food chemicals
• explain how FSANZ uses information, including that submitted in applications, for the purposes of estimating dietary exposure.

Published 18 December 2024

Bacteria, viruses and toxins that cause foodborne illness

Bacteria, viruses and toxins that cause foodborne illness

• Bacillus cereus: A bacterium that causes two types of illness: emetic (vomiting) and diarrhoeal
• Campylobacter: A bacterium that causes campylobacteriosis
• Clostridium perfringens: A bacterium that causes gastroenteritis
• E. coli and STEC: A bacterium that causes gastroenteritis and haemolytic uraemic syndrome
…

Published 8 July 2025

Call for comment on phospholipase C as a processing aid

Call for comment on phospholipase C as a processing aid Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for comment on an application to permit the use of the enzyme phospholipase C as a processing aid. Phospholipase C (EC 3.1.4.3) is produced using a genetically modified strain of Bacillus licheniformis. The modification involves adding a gene from another bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis, which enables the production of phospholipase C. The application seeks approval to use phospholipase C during the refining of oils and fats. Our safety assessment found no public health or safety concerns associated with the proposed use of the enzyme. To have your say about this application, visit the FSANZ Consultation Hub. Submissions close at 11:59pm (AEST) Tuesday 26 August 2025. What…

Published 15 July 2025