Food safety in Australia

[1] It was reported in 2013 that, in comparison with other developed countries, Australia has higher rates for many illnesses due to foodborne pathogens.

[3] Australia has followed the international trend away from government oversight towards a focus on preventive measures taken by the food industry.

A lack of uniformity amongst the various state laws hampered interstate trade and led to a series of conferences held between 1910 and 1927.

FSANZ develops standards that regulate the use of ingredients, processing aids, colourings, additives, vitamins and minerals.

They work with industry and other Australian government agencies, in particular the Department of Health and FSANZ, to develop policy and food standards.

[9] A relevant agency in each state and territory monitors compliance with the code, while the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment is responsible for the inspection and sampling of imported food.

[12] However this product is consumed by people who have a desire to drink raw milk, usually because they perceive it to a more natural less processed food.

[3] In 1995 a 4-year-old girl died from a fatal stroke after eating mettwurst produced by the Garibaldi company, and many other people were hospitalised.

[19][20][21] Nippy's fresh chilled fruit juices were found to contain traces of Salmonella Typhimurium, infecting 507 people.

[22][23] In March 2007, Long and Linda Fou, owners of the Homebush French Golden Hot Bakery in NSW, pleaded guilty to handling and selling unsafe food.

In 2014, the milk's Japanese producers and Australian distributors agreed to pay a $25 million class action settlement—the largest ever food safety settlement in Australia.

[26] In February 2015, a recall of frozen berries imported from China was issued after at least 12 people contracted hepatitis A following their consumption of the product.

Poor hygiene by Chinese workers or contaminated water supplies in China are suspected as the cause.