Food handling & food safety in school canteens
Food safety is especially important in schools as children can be more prone to
foodborne illnesses. This information sheet provides general food safety information
for school canteen operators and aims to answer some common food safety questions.
General requirements
As a registered food business, your canteen must have a food safety supervisor. A
food safety supervisor is someone who has completed advanced training in food
safety, has appropriate food safety knowledge and has the ability and authority to
supervise other people handling food.
Food handlers should have knowledge and skills appropriate to the type of food they
are handling. All people in a canteen, including volunteers, should have a basic
understanding of food hygiene and temperature control requirements for cooking,
reheating, cooling, defrosting, storing and displaying foods. To obtain that basic
understanding of food safety, all canteen food handlers, including volunteers, should
complete the I’M ALERT safe food handling training. The food safety supervisor
training requirements and I’M ALERT safe food handling training are available on the
ACT Health website www.health.act.gov.au/foodsafety.
The importance of good hygiene
Working in a school canteen means you need to keep food safety and hygiene in mind
at all times. As such, it is important that all food handlers, including volunteers, do the
following:
• do not prepare foods for others if they are ill and to cover all wounds with a
waterproof dressing and glove
• always wash hands thoroughly with warm soapy water and dry thoroughly with
single use towels before and after touching food
• tie hair back and remove or cover jewellery while handling food
• wear clean protective clothing (aprons/hair nets/hats).
Other food safety tips
Never defrost food on the bench top. Use a refrigerator for defrosting frozen foods.
Always sanitise or change chopping boards and utensils every time you prepare a new
type of food (e.g. raw food, cooked food, fruit).
All canteens must have a food grade digital probe thermometer accurate to ±1oC to
check cold and hot temperatures. Food temperatures should be checked regularly to
ensure temperature control is being maintained.
Health Protection Service
[email protected] | Locked Bag 5005 Weston ACT 2611 | phone: 6205 1700 | www.health.act.gov.au
Vermin control
A school canteen must be kept free from pests and vermin. To do this you will need to
close doors, use windows with screens, clean equipment regularly and dispose of
garbage effectively.
Food Storage
Food must be stored appropriately. For example, raw meat should be kept in sealed
containers at the bottom of the fridge so juices don’t run onto other foods. Ready-to-eat
foods should be covered and stored above vegetables and meat in the fridge.
Certain foods must be stored at the correct temperature. Foods that need temperature
control include milk and dairy products, raw meat and seafood, prepared vegetable and
meat dishes, tofu, cooked rice, pasta and similar items.
Cold foods must be kept at 5°C or below and hot foods must be kept at 60°C or above.
What’s the best way to display food?
All food served in the school canteen must be wrapped or covered when on display.
Unpackaged food must have tongs, spoons, bags or paper ready for service. Hot foods
must be kept hot (60°C or above) when displayed. Similarly, cold foods like sandwiches,
salads and milk drinks must be kept cold on display (5°C or below).
Food regulation and food safety information
For detailed food safety information, including registration requirements and food
safety supervisors, visit the ACT Health website www.health.act.gov.au/foodsafety.
HPS-00-0810
Accessibility
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© Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, June 2015
This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without
written permission from the Territory Records Office, Community and Infrastructure Services, Territory and Municipal Services, ACT
Government, GPO Box 158, Canberra City ACT 2601. Enquiries about this publication should be directed to ACT Government Health Directorate,
Communications and Marketing Unit, GPO Box 825 Canberra City ACT 2601 or email: [email protected]
www.health.act.gov.au | www.act.gov.au | Enquiries: Canberra 13ACT1 or 132281
Health Protection Service
[email protected] | Locked Bag 5005 Weston ACT 2611 | phone: 6205 1700 | www.health.act.gov.au