CHAIR: Cathy Moir until March 2019, Brigitte Cox from March 2019,
5.1. 2018-19 GOALS
GOAL 1. Provide technical support for the Council in collaboration with the Communication Committee in a timely manner through the year.
GOAL 2. Ongoing review key food safety messages for Australian consumers promoted by the Council by keeping a watching brief on evidence of key factors contributing to foodborne illness in Australia when consumers prepare food at home or eat out and recommend improvements where warranted.
GOAL 3. Prepare technical information on new or changing food safety issues as they arise.
5.2. REPORT
GOAL 1. Technical input provided for media releases, Food Safety Week, a flyer for the AIFST Convention and consumer inquiries as requested. The list of media releases and details of Food Safety week have been listed in the Communications Committee Report above and not repeated here. A presentation was made to University of NSW students on food safety in June 2019.
GOAL 2. A watching brief was kept on reports of foodborne illness in Australia and internationally to ensure the Council’s key food safety messages for consumers are evidence based and related to local epidemiological information on foodborne illness and addressing factors contributing to foodborne illness in domestic settings versus food service and industry. There is an extensive range of information on the website this was considered to provide adequate coverage.
GOAL 3. With the current trend towards the home production and consumption of a range of fermented foods and kombucha tea, new fact sheets on safe production and safety of these products were prepared. A literature review of the safety of home production kefir was conducted and because a lactic starter was used, it was decided there was no safety issue here.
5.3. 2019-20 GOALS
GOAL 1. Provide technical support for the Council in collaboration with the Communication Committee in a timely manner through the year.
GOAL 2. Ongoing review key food safety messages for Australian consumers promoted by the Council by keeping a watching brief on evidence of key factors contributing to foodborne illness in Australia when consumers prepare food at home or eat out and recommend improvements where warranted.
GOAL 3. Prepare technical information on new or changing food safety issues as they arise.