HAT302: Food and Beverage Quality and Safety in Australia Report

This report examines food and beverage quality control and safety in the Australian context. It begins with an introduction outlining the importance of food safety regulations and quality assurance. The discussion section analyzes recent quality control issues, such as maintaining workplace hygiene, equipment quality, and addressing cross-contamination risks, like those associated with leafy greens. The report also identifies key food and beverage safety concerns, including proper labeling, storage practices, and the appointment of food safety supervisors. It then explores relevant Australian laws and regulations, including the obligations placed on food businesses by FSANZ and other governmental bodies. The report concludes by recommending management solutions for each identified issue, emphasizing the need for regular inspections, external audits, investments in food safety, and accountability measures to ensure compliance with safety standards. The report highlights the importance of following food and beverage safety rules and regulations for the benefit of both businesses and consumers.

Running head: FOOD AND BEVERAGE IN AUSTRALIA
FOOD AND BEVERAGE IN AUSTRALIA
Name of Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Discussion........................................................................................................................................2
Identification and analysis of the most recent issues related to quality control..............................2
Identification and analysis of the most recent issues related to food and beverage safety..............3
Examination of the key laws and regulations that address the issues..............................................3
Development of one management solution for each of the issues identified and therefore to
eliminate any food, quality and beverage safety issues...................................................................4
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................5
References........................................................................................................................................6

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Introduction
There are different regulations for maintaining the food safety that is applicable to
different stages of beverage and food production, manufacturing and processing to distribution
activities. It is necessary to maintain the food safety levels in order to meet the customers’
expectations. Therefore it is necessary to verify the quality of food and beverage that is being
exported. Quality assurance refers to verifying the quality of the processes by which the products
are produced (Davis et al. 2018). Therefore quality assurance is aimed at reducing the defects in
the products and services and improves the quality of the same. The main aim of the paper is to
discuss about the most recent quality control issues, the issues related to food and beverage
safety, the existing laws and regulations for looking after the safety and the quality of the
products and to recommend on the different ways in which these issues can be overcome
(Gordon 2017).
Discussion
Identification and analysis of the most recent issues related to quality control
In order to ensure quality control of the food and beverage, it is necessary to maintain the
hygiene of the workplace where the food is being prepared by the employees and it is equally
important to see that the equipment’s are maintained at their highest quality such that food safety
is maintained (Chen et al. 2015). In case the quality of the workplace is not maintained, it can
lead to various other problems such as infection, contamination and others. Therefore it is
necessary to see that pest control, cleaning, personal hygiene, staff training, personal hygiene and
other factors are looked after (Jeremiah 2019). There can be outbreaks through consumption of
leafy greens as it was found out according to a study that there cannot be any form of chemical

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treatment that can avoid the cross contamination of micro-organisms in these vegetables.
Moreover these vegetables are subjected to contamination also through exposure to soil, and
other particles also during the supply chain.
Identification and analysis of the most recent issues related to food and beverage
safety
Some of the major recent safety issues relating to food and beverage is that of- marking
the manufacturing and the expiry date on the package, Storing the food, cleaning of equipment,
reduction of cross-contamination and Appointment of the supervisor of food and safety. Marking
the expiry and manufacturing date of the products especially in case of perishable goods is an
important concern for the food and beverage industry (Shahidi 2015). This is so because
consuming perishable food or beverages after their expiry dates can have a negative impact on
the health of the customers. All those foods and beverages that are to be stored must be done the
same at right temperatures (Riefenstein 2017). Therefore it requires the food temperature
measuring device to be accurate. All those areas that are used for cleaning the food and
preparation of the food has to be clean such that there are no safety concerns regarding the same.
In order to avoid any form of cross contamination it is important to separate the different types of
food- the raw meat has to be kept separately from cooked food. It is also important to appoint at
least one supervisor of food and safety who will ensure the compliance of the same to different
safety standards.
Examination of the key laws and regulations that address the issues
There are various obligations that are placed on the Australian business of food and
beverage that is fit for consumption and that is also safe. These obligations are placed by the
standards of food safety. A business or industry of food is the one that includes handling the

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quality of food for sale and others in Australia. The main aim of the standards is to reduce the
food borne illness, that contains different obligations relating to food and beverage for the food
handlers. Food businesses engaged in processing and production sectors have got different
standards according to the FSANZ. There are some of the main safety standards for food- such
as interpretation and application, programs on food safety, various practices of food safety, food
equipment’s and premises. There are also various programs for providing service to vulnerable
people of the society. There are different regulation policies such as DoA policy of food
regulation is an agency that is engage with different governmental agencies and with
departments such as Department of Health and Ageing and also FSANZ or the Food standards
Australia New Zealand in order to provide protection to safety and health of different people.
There is New South Wales food authority for safer food and clearer choices that looks after
different issues such as licensing, legislation, recalls, investigation and others
(Foodauthority.nsw.gov.au 2019).
Development of one management solution for each of the issues identified and
therefore to eliminate any food, quality and beverage safety issues
In order to ensure that food quality is being maintained and food safety is ensured, it is
necessary to comply with quality standards, for carrying out business effectively. By doing the
same it can be ensured that hygiene has been maintained, food and beverage is safely packed and
others. Inspections needs to be conducted frequently and sometimes even the help of third parties
inspection can be taken who undertake the inspection about 4 times in a year. In order to ensure
that the operations are being carried out safely by facilities, regular inspections needs to be
carried out. An external auditor can also be appointed for the same purpose, to identify all those
problems that may arise on account of food safety and quality. Therefore it is important for

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organizations to make investments into food safety. Accountability of people towards
maintenance of safety and quality can also be created through the systems of videos and pictures.
Pencil whipping which is one of the major concerns can be overcome with the help of holding
people accountable for their activities. Many times the people responsible for looking after the
food safety and control become monotonous with the same nature of job they are engaged in and
as a result it is necessary to rotate people in that position such that people do not become
monotonous.
Conclusion
From the above discussion, it can be concluded that it is important to follow the rules and
regulations relating to food and beverage safety because it is also important for the customers.
Quality of the food and beverage should also be maintained and this can be ensured by reducing
the defects in the products and services to improve the quality of the products. The paper
discusses about the different quality control issues, the issues reacted to safety of the products
and services. The paper also discusses about all those laws and regulations that can address these
issues and recommendations of different techniques in order to reduce all issues related to safety
and quality of the foods and beverage.

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References
Chen, E., Flint, S., Perry, P., Perry, M. and Lau, R., 2015. Implementation of non-regulatory
food safety management schemes in New Zealand: a survey of the food and beverage
industry. Food control, 47, pp.569-576.
Davis, B., Lockwood, A., Alcott, P. and Pantelidis, I.S., 2018. Food and beverage management.
Routledge.
Foodauthority.nsw.gov.au (2019). [online] Foodauthority.nsw.gov.au. Available at:
http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/ [Accessed 1 Sep. 2019].
Gordon, A., 2017. Introduction: effective implementation of food safety and quality systems:
prerequisites and other considerations. In Food Safety and Quality Systems in Developing
Countries, Volume 2 (pp. 1-19). Academic Press.
Jeremiah, L.E., 2019. Freezing effects on food quality. Routledge.
Riefenstein, L., CONVOTHERM Elektrogeraete GmbH, 2017. Optical quality control system.
U.S. Patent 9,538,880.
Shahidi, F. ed., 2015. Handbook of antioxidants for food preservation. Woodhead Publishing.