Cold stores

Operators of cold stores are required to:

1. apply for a Food Authority licence online  
2. prepare for regular audits.

You must not operate until you are informed your licence application has been processed. If a business is found operating without a licence, enforcement action may be taken.

For more see applying for a food licence. 

There are no formal qualifications required for cold store operators, however each food handler and person in control of a food business is required to have food safety skills and knowledge appropriate to their food handling activities.

The full requirements are set out in the Food Standards Code Standard 3.2.2 - Food Safety Practices and General Requirements, clause 3 and the FSANZ guide Safe Food Australia. 

Construction and layout of a food premise must be designed to minimise the opportunity for food contamination.

Cold stores must ensure that their fixtures, fittings, equipment and transport vehicles are designed and constructed in a manner that means they can be easily cleaned and where necessary, sanitised.

The business must also ensure that premises have the necessary services of water, waste disposal, light, ventilation, cleaning and personal hygiene facilities, storage space and access to toilets.

The full requirements are set out in the Food Standards Code, Standard 3.2.3 - Food Premises and Equipment and the FSANZ guide Safe Food Australia. 

A food handler must take all reasonable measures not to handle food or surfaces likely to come into contact with food in a way that is likely to compromise the safety and suitability of food.

For details see the Food Standards Code Standard 3.2.2 - Food Safety Practices and General Requirements, clause 3 and the FSANZ guide Safe Food Australia.

Cleaning and sanitation

Meat cold stores must implement a documented cleaning schedule that identifies:

• all fixtures, fittings and equipment used in the storage of dairy, plant, egg or seafood products
• the frequency of cleaning
• how all fixtures, fittings and equipment are cleaned and sanitised
• how food contact surfaces and utensils are sanitised (where applicable)
• chemical usage (for example, strength, contact times, temperature).

All fixtures, fittings and equipment must be adequate for the production of safe and suitable food, and fit for their intended use.

Routine internal cleaning and sanitation inspections must be undertaken, and records maintained for corrective action taken on any identified issues.

Cleaning chemicals must be suitable for contact with food and used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. 

Cold stores need to protect food from contamination and keep food at the correct temperatures (that is, < 5°C).

For further details, refer to Standard 3.2.2 - Food Safety Practices and General Requirements, clauses 5, 7 and 10 of the Food Standards Code and the FSANZ guide Safe Food Australia.

Food Safety Program

Meat cold stores are required to have a Food Safety Program outlining how risks to food safety will be controlled in the business. Food Safety Programs are optional for all other cold store businesses.

The Food Authority’s Cold Store Food Safety Program document below provides information and guidance to cold store businesses on how to meet their regulatory requirements.  

It includes the typical activities carried out by cold store businesses and is designed to help determine and resolve most day-to-day operational issues and to assist with compliance.

• Cold Store Food Safety Program (PDF, 702 KB)   

Cold Store Diary

The NSW Food Authority has developed a Cold Store Diary to assist facilities in satisfying regulatory requirements.  

The diary provides weekly checklists and monitoring forms to assist with record keeping for 12 months.  

• Download the NSW Cold Store Diary (PDF, 2.8 MB) 

Every food business is required to have a food recall plan in place. Cold store operators need to:

• have a system to ensure the recall of unsafe food
• prepare a written document outlining this process
• make the document available to an authorised officer on request
• follow the steps of this system when recalling unsafe food.  

The NSW Food Authority has produced a flowchart of the food recall process and a recalls guide. See also our Food recall action plan template (Word, 943 KB).

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has published a step-by-step guide to writing a food recall plan: Food Industry Recall Protocol. To request a printed copy contact FSANZ on (02) 6228 8226  or advice@foodstandards.gov.au.

If you are an operator considering a recall of food that is produced or distributed by your business, contact the Food Authority's Investigation and Recall Coordinator on 1300 552 406. 

Requirements for product labelling apply, as set out in Food Standards Code Chapter 1, Part 1.2 - Labelling and other Information Requirements and the FSANZ labelling user guides.

For an introduction to product labelling and Food Authority factsheets see labelling. 

Meat cold stores will be routinely audited by the Food Authority for compliance with requirements. All other cold stores will inspected.

Compliance or regulatory action will be taken if required.

There are fees for audits and inspections, payable by the licence holder. For more information see:

• Audits of licensed businesses
• What to expect: Inspections factsheet (PDF, 171 KB)   

• Food Act 2003 (NSW)
• Food Regulation 2015  
• Food Standards Code
• Australian Standard for Hygienic production and transportation of meat and meat products for human consumption (AS4696:2023) (for raw red meat cold stores).