46 STANDARD 3.2.

2 FOOD STANDARDS AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND SAFE FOOD AUSTRALIA

Displays of unpackaged ready-to-eat food for self-service

Self-serve bread
A business displays bread loaves and rolls for customers to serve themselves.
To make sure the displayed food is kept safe from contamination, the business
takes the following actions:

1. A person is nominated to supervise the area.

2. Products are wrapped in paper bags or wide strips of paper to avoid direct handling.

3. Tongs are provided for customers to pick up items not covered by paper.
STANDARD 3.2.2

4. Bags are provided for customers to place products in.

5. Signage is placed in the display to instruct customers to use tongs and bags.

Antipasto bar
Examples

A business displays sliced prosciutto, olives, sun-dried tomatoes and other antipasto
products for customers to serve themselves. To make sure the displayed food is kept
8 safe from contamination, the business takes the following actions:

1. A person is nominated to supervise the area.

2. Products are displayed in dishes under a permanent guard that is angled and at a
height that minimises exposure to customers’ aerosols.

3. Separate tongs and serving spoons with long handles are provided for each product
for customers to select food.

4. Containers of several sizes are provided, placed upside down, for customers to place
products in.

5. Signage is placed in the display to instruct customers to use separate utensils

and containers.

6. All unsold products are covered with cling wrap or placed in containers at the end of
the day and stored for sale the next day.

8(3) Subclause (2) does not apply to food in tamper resistant equipment or containers.

Unpackaged food displayed for self-service in tamper-resistant equipment or containers is not required
to be supervised, or have separate serving utensils or protective barriers. An example is confectionery
dispensers where the customer can only access the confectionery being bought.

8(4) A food business must not display for sale on any counter or bar, any ready-to-eat food that
is not intended for self-service unless it is enclosed, contained or wrapped so that the food is
protected from likely contamination.

Unpackaged ready-to-eat food displayed on counters and bars is vulnerable to contamination,

particularly from customers’ hands and aerosols (see subclause 8(2)). It must be displayed in
containers, wrapped or enclosed in some other way so it is not left exposed. This subclause applies
to ready-to-eat food that is displayed but is not for self-service.

A GUIDE TO THE FOOD SAFETY STANDARDS THIRD EDITION NOVEMBER 2016