Accreditation
If you are involved in the commercial processing of milk into products, whether it is the processing of milk for retail sale or further processing of milk in to products such as yoghurt, ice cream, etc., then you need to be accredited by Dairysafe.
The general rule is that if milk or milk products are the base or major component of the end product then you must seek accreditation. If you are a retail outlet only and are not manufacturing anything for sale at outlets other than premises where they are being made, then you do not need to be accredited.
If you are enquiring about accreditation please have a look at the Accreditation Handbook, and then please call our office on (08) 8223 2277 to commence the accreditation process.
Dairy processors in South Australia are required to comply with Standard 4.2.4 of the Food Standards Code. Export registered premises are required to comply with the Export Control Act 2020.
Dairysafe monitors test results on liquid milk, cream, cheese, cheese dips, yoghurt and ice cream sampled from processors. Dairysafe, as part of dairy processing audits, assesses test results from all processors on at least a monthly basis. Dairysafe works with processors to ensure as much as is possible no suspect product reaches the market and that corrective action is implemented following poor test results or detection of pathogens in the environment or the product.
All new dairy processors must have approved premises and implement HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) based food safety programs. Existing processors must maintain their HACCP-based programs and appropriate records.
Dairysafe Accreditation Handbook
Fees
The schedule of fees for accreditation is attached, and provides details of the monthly accreditation fees for farms supplying large scale dairy processors (receiving 1 million litres of milk or more per annum) and the annual fee for small scale dairy processors (recieving less than 1 million litres of milk per annum or receiving milk/dairy product from other than a dairy farmer).
For new applications, an initial one-off fee of $100 is payable on application.
For all processors, an additional fee of $250 per hour will apply in the event an audit requires additional work necessitating follow-up visits.
Auditing
The Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment regulates export dairy processors in accordance with the Export Control Act 2020. Export registered dairy processors are required to implement an approved arrangement.
Dairysafe staff carry out audits on dairy processors to assess their food safety program, or Approved Arrangement, for compliance with Standard 4.2.4 of the Food Standards Code.
What to do if there is a problem
If you think you have a food safety problem, call us on (08) 8223 2277 as soon as possible so we can help you deal with it. The sooner these issues are dealt with the less significant they become.
Do not allow any product to leave your facilities, contact your distribution channel and ask them to hold all product.
If you need to conduct a recall of a dairy product, assistance and details are provided in the Food Safety Toolbox page under ‘Food Safety Recalls’.