Food Delivery and Transport Safety Guide for NSW Businesses

Food Delivery and Transport Safety Guide

Food delivery and transport introduces unique temperature control and contamination risks. Whether you're a caterer transporting food to an event, a manufacturer distributing to retailers, or a restaurant offering home delivery, this guide covers the key food safety requirements for food in transit in NSW.

Temperature requirements during transport

The same temperature requirements that apply to food storage also apply to food during transport:

• Potentially hazardous cold food must be maintained at 5°C or below
• Potentially hazardous hot food must be maintained at 60°C or above
• If neither cold nor hot transport is possible, apply the 2-hour/4-hour rule

Vehicle and equipment requirements

• Refrigerated vehicles must be capable of maintaining food at 5°C or below under normal operating conditions
• Pre-cool all refrigerated vehicles before loading
• Use insulated food delivery bags for short-distance, short-duration delivery
• Use calibrated thermometers to check food temperatures on departure and arrival
• Keep food covered and protected from contamination throughout transit
• Never transport food in the same space as cleaning chemicals, waste, or animals

Food delivery services (e.g. Uber Eats, DoorDash)

If you use third-party delivery platforms, you are responsible for ensuring food is safe and at the correct temperature when it leaves your premises. Delivery times and packaging quality will affect safety on the customer end — use insulated packaging and design your menu around items that travel safely.

Caterers transporting to off-site events

Caterers face particular challenges as they may be transporting large quantities of prepared food over long distances without refrigerated vehicles. A catering-specific food safety plan must address all transport risks with documented temperature monitoring and corrective action procedures.