Plant products transport vehicles

Operators of vehicles used to distribute and/or transport plant products need to:

1. apply for a Food Authority licence online or download an application form (PDF, 394.88 KB), print and post it
2. meet relevant food standards
3. prepare for regular audits
4. if exporting: contact the Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources for an export certification or permit.

For more see applying for a food licence.

Vehicle licence label

The NSW Food Authority will issue a licence label (sticker) to the holder of a food transport vehicle.

This label must be displayed on the vehicle at all times.

There are no formal food safety qualifications required for plant product transporters, 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.

For a guide see FSANZ Safe Food Australia Division 2.

Requirements are set out in the Food Standards Code, Standard 3.2.2 - Food Safety Practices and General Requirements, clause 3.

Plant product transport vehicles should:

• be designed and constructed to protect food from contamination
• be effectively cleaned and sanitised (where necessary) to protect food from contamination
• segregate raw (eg cut salad ingredients) from processed food, and protect food from contamination by covering or sealing appropriately.

Requirements are set out in Food Standards Code, Standard 3.2.3 – Food Premises and Equipment.

In addition, the Food Authority recommends that transport businesses should implement the practices below, although they are not specified legal requirements:

• if transporting potentially hazardous food that requires temperature control, a transport vehicle’s refrigeration unit should be serviced annually to ensure efficient operation
• transport vehicle pre-cooling before transportation.

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.

A food business must, when transporting food:

• protect all food from the likelihood of contamination;
• transport potentially hazardous food under temperature control; and
• ensure that potentially hazardous food which is intended to be transported frozen remains frozen during transportation.

Transporters must exercise personal hygiene and health practices so the food is suitable for sale by:

• wearing clean clothing at the start of each day
• not handling food if they know, or suspect, they have an illness, for example vomiting or diarrhoea
• covering open wounds with a waterproof bandage
• washing hands whenever it is likely their hands could contaminate food, for example after visiting the toilet; after meal breaks
• not smoking around product at any time.

For more see our factsheets:

• health & hygiene for food handlers (pdf) 
• cleaning & sanitising in food businesses (pdf) 

See also FSANZ guide Safe Food Australia.

Requirements are set out in Food Standards Code, Chapter 3, Standard 3.2.2, Division 4 - Health and Hygiene.

When transporting plant products a business needs to:

• protect all food from the likelihood of contamination
• transport potentially hazardous food under temperature control
• ensure that potentially hazardous food which is intended to be transported frozen remains frozen during transportation.

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 and Food Authority factsheets see labelling.

No routine microbiological or chemical testing of product is required of plant product transporters.

Plant product transport vehicles will be routinely checked by the Food Authority for compliance with requirements.

Compliance or regulatory action will be taken if required.

There are fees for inspections, payable by the licence holder.

For more see audits, inspections and compliance.

Transport operators in the plant products industry need to meet the relevant requirements of the:

1. Food Act 2003 (NSW)
2. Food Regulation 2015 including the Plant Products Food Safety Scheme
3. Food Standards Code, including
   • Chapter 1, Part 1.2 - Labelling and other Information Requirements
   • Standard 3.2.2, Division 4 - Health and Hygiene
   • Standard 3.2.3 – Food Premises and Equipment