Minimising food illness and waste is critically important to consumers, regulators, the food industry and the Australian economy. It has been estimated that contaminated food causes millions of cases of gastroenteritis annually in Australia. Australians are also throwing away food which is worth billions each year. One contributing factor for food illness and waste is poor Cold Chain management.
Proper Cold Chain practice in Australia is also critical for our exports. The USA FDA, for instance, will assess the safety of Australian Cold Chain when deciding whether to allow perishable food to be imported, and exports to Asia are likewise partly determined by the quality of the Australian cold chain operations.
The AFGC in consultation with industry, the AFGC released The Australian Cold Chain Guidelines in 2017. These Guidelines will help food suppliers maintain the safety and quality of their food products as they are handled, transported and stored in their journey from producer to consumer.