- Compliance Activities
- Compliance Programs
Compliance Programs
How PrimeSafe makes sure meat and seafood products are safe for consumers.
Summary
- Our role is to make sure that meat and seafood is safe to eat and that animals are not mistreated.
- We do this by setting licence requirements for food businesses and monitoring compliance by inspecting and auditing.
- We take action when food businesses are not complying with their licence requirements. We then monitor these businesses more closely.
- We can stop a business from operating if they are producing food products that may harm public health.
Our compliance system
Our compliance activities follow the PrimeSafe Licensee Charter so that we are fair to our licensees.
We act in accordance with our Compliance and Enforcement policy.
We have a three-level compliance system to manage threats to food safety.
Level 1. Intensified audit frequency
If you are not complying with your food safety or quality assurance program you may need to be audited weekly.
Your third-party auditor conducts the audits and you pay their fee.
We may interview you to make sure that you understand your food safety program or quality assurance program.
You can return to your usual audit schedule when you comply with your food safety or quality assurance program and we are confident that you are committed to it.
Level 2. Prohibition notice
A prohibition notice stops you from processing a food or can stop you from operating. We can legally give you a prohibition notice when there is a serious and immediate threat to public health.
To remove a prohibition notice you submit a written proposal to us setting out how you will ensure your food is safe.
We will review your proposal and we may:
- interview you to make sure you understand your food safety or quality assurance program
- inspect your facility, vehicle or premises.
If we remove the prohibition notice you will be audited frequently for a period of time.
Your third-party auditor conducts the audits and you pay their fee.
Level 3. Prosecutions
We can take a person and/or business to court if we believe they are processing meat or seafood without a licence or in a way that is not legal.
We investigate all complaints to us about illegal processing because there is a serious risk to public health.
To read about our prosecutions go to PrimeSafe Prosecutions.
We randomly test fresh meat products for illegal use of sulphur dioxide.
The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code allows sulphur dioxide to be used in sausage meat only.
Other fresh meat containing sulphur dioxide is dangerous for humans to eat.
We have a zero-tolerance policy on illegal sulphur dioxide use.
If you illegally use sulphur dioxide we can:
- dispose of all illegal products containing preservatives
- give you a prohibition notice to stop your facility from operating.
The prohibition notice will remain until:
- you submit a written proposal to us that confirms your commitment to your food safety program
- you amend your food safety program and we are satisfied with the changes
- all staff complete a day of training on the standard and food safety program
- you are interviewed by us.
When you are allowed to reopen, your facility will be audited each week for at least four weeks.
Your third-party auditor conducts the audits. You pay their fee.
If we find illegal sulphur dioxide at your facility a second time the same rules apply except that:
- all staff at your facility must complete at least five days training
- your facility will be audited weekly for at least eight weeks after it reopens.
If you get one or more major or critical corrective action request from your auditor within 12 months we will inspect your facility unannounced.
At our surprise inspection we will look at your quality assurance system, review documentation and assess compliance with the standard.
If you meet your licence requirements we will take no further action.
If you do not meet your licence requirements you will have to participate in the repeat corrective action request program for a 12 month period. This involves:
- immediately fixing any issues we find
- being audited weekly until you comply
- having more frequent audits for the next 12 months. Facilities producing higher risk products will be audited once every three months. Facilities producing lower risk products will be audited once every four months.
If you get another major or critical corrective action request during the 12-month period, the same rules will apply except that you will be audited monthly after you comply for 12 months.
Animal welfare is a priority at all licensed facilities that handle live animals. Anyone with information about non-compliance with Australian Standards for animal welfare at Victorian abattoirs, poultry processing facilities or pet meat processing facilities should make a complaint to us.
Animal welfare at abattoirs, poultry processing facilities and pet meat processing facilities is monitored through announced and unannounced audits and inspections. Unannounced inspections occur at least every six months.
At abattoirs we will inspect and assess restraint, stunning and sticking equipment. Quality assurance procedures are also reviewed.
At poultry processing facilities we inspect and assess the receipt and slaughter of poultry. Quality assurance procedures are also reviewed.
At pet meat processing facilities we will inspect and assess how animals are collected in the field, and the restraint, stunning and sticking equipment at the facility. Quality assurance procedures are also reviewed.
We will assess your facility against animal welfare standards. It’s your responsibility to understand and comply with the animal welfare standard that applies to you:
- Australian Standard for the Hygienic Production and Transportation of Meat and Meat Products for Human Consumption (AS 4696); or
- Australian Standard for Construction of Premises and Hygienic Production of Poultry Meat for Human Consumption (AS 4465); or
- Standard for the Hygienic Production of Pet Meat.
