Record Keeping Guide for NSW Food Safety Compliance

Record Keeping Guide for NSW Food Safety Compliance

Records are the evidence that your food safety system works. Without them, a well-designed HACCP plan is just paper — you cannot demonstrate compliance to an auditor, defend yourself in a legal action, or investigate an incident effectively. Standard 3.2.1 of the Food Standards Code requires businesses with a Food Safety Program to maintain and retain records.

The golden rule of food safety records

Records must be: contemporaneous (recorded at the time, not reconstructed later), accurate (real readings, not what you hoped they would be), legible, and retained for the required period. Auditors are trained to spot records that look "too perfect" — uniform handwriting, all entries the same, no corrections.

Mandatory records for businesses with an FSP

• Temperature monitoring records (cool rooms, cooking, hot holding, deliveries)
• Corrective action records
• Cleaning and sanitising records
• Staff training and competency records
• Pest control logs and contractor reports
• Calibration records for thermometers and measuring equipment
• Supplier verification and incoming goods records
• Internal audit records
• FSP review records

How long to keep records

• Standard 3.2.1 requires records retained for a minimum of 3 months
• Best practice: retain for 12 months (covers the full audit cycle)
• Training records: retain for 12 months after an employee leaves
• Food recall records: retain for at least 3 years

Paper vs. digital record systems

Both are acceptable. Digital systems (temperature monitoring apps, food safety management software) improve accuracy and retrieval speed. Paper systems are simpler but require disciplined management. Whichever system you use, ensure records are securely stored, backed up (for digital), and protected from damage.