Free Reference · Australia
Food Allergens & Safe Temperatures
A plain-English reference for Australian food businesses: the priority allergens you must declare, the current PEAL labelling rules, and the safe food temperatures every kitchen should know. Every figure here is drawn from official sources, linked at the bottom.
Jump to: Allergens · PEAL labelling · Safe temperatures · Cleaning
The priority allergens you must declare
Under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (Standard 1.2.3), the following foods and substances must be declared whenever they are present in a food. These are the allergens responsible for the vast majority of serious reactions.
Cereals containing gluten
Wheat, rye, barley and oats (and their hybrids). Wheat is named specifically, and “gluten” is declared in the summary statement.
Crustacea
Prawns, crabs, lobster, yabbies.
Molluscs
Oysters, mussels, squid, octopus — now declared separately from crustacea.
Egg
Eggs and egg products.
Fish
Finned fish and fish products.
Milk
Including casein and whey — declared simply as “milk”.
Peanut
Declared separately from tree nuts.
Tree nuts
Almond, Brazil nut, cashew, hazelnut, macadamia, pecan, pine nut, pistachio and walnut — each named individually.
Sesame
Sesame seeds and sesame products.
Soy
Soybeans — declared as “soy”.
Lupin
A legume increasingly used in flours and meat alternatives.
Added sulphites
When added at 10 mg/kg or more.
Plain English Allergen Labelling (PEAL)
PEAL changed how allergens must be shown on food labels so they are easier to find and understand. It became mandatory on 25 February 2024 (with a transition period to 25 February 2026 for stock already packaged before the deadline). In short:
- Declared allergens must appear in bold within the ingredient list.
- A separate, bold summary statement beginning with the word “Contains” must appear together with the ingredient list — e.g. Contains: milk, wheat.
- Required plain-English names must be used — e.g. “wheat”, “soy”, “milk”, with each tree nut and mollusc named individually.
- When wheat, rye, barley or oats are present, “gluten” must be declared in the summary statement.
- For unpackaged food, allergen information must be displayed with the food or be available to the customer on request.
If you run a café, restaurant or retail food business, your team needs to be able to answer allergen questions accurately and avoid cross-contamination — exactly what Food Safety Supervisor training covers.
Safe food temperatures
Potentially hazardous food must be kept out of the temperature danger zone wherever possible. These are the key numbers for Australian kitchens:
The 2-hour / 4-hour rule
For ready-to-eat potentially hazardous food that has been in the danger zone (5–60°C), total time decides what you can do with it:
Want the detail? See our full food safety temperature guide, or grab the printable food safety cheat sheet for your kitchen.
Cleaning vs sanitising
Cleaning and sanitising are two different steps, and the order matters — you can’t sanitise a dirty surface effectively.
- Clean first — wash with warm water and detergent to remove visible dirt, grease and food scraps.
- Then sanitise — use heat or a chemical sanitiser to reduce remaining micro-organisms to a safe level.
- Follow the sanitiser’s instructions for dilution and contact time, and let surfaces air-dry where possible.
Official sources
This page is general information to help food businesses, not legal advice. Requirements can change — always confirm the current rules with Food Standards Australia New Zealand or your state food authority.
Food allergens & temperatures — FAQs
What are the priority allergens that must be declared in Australia?
Under the Food Standards Code, these must be declared whenever present: cereals containing gluten (including wheat), crustacea, molluscs, egg, fish, milk, peanut, tree nuts, sesame, soy, lupin, and added sulphites at 10 mg/kg or more.
What temperature should you cook chicken and mince to?
Cook poultry, minced meat, sausages and rolled roasts to at least 75°C in the centre. These higher-risk foods need thorough cooking to destroy harmful bacteria — use a clean probe thermometer in the thickest part rather than judging by colour.
What is the temperature danger zone?
The temperature danger zone is 5°C to 60°C — the range where food-poisoning bacteria multiply fastest. Keep cold food at or below 5°C and hot food at or above 60°C, and keep the time food spends in between to a minimum.
What is the 2-hour / 4-hour rule?
For ready-to-eat hazardous food in the danger zone (5–60°C): under 2 hours total, use it or refrigerate it; 2 to 4 hours, use it now and don’t refrigerate again; more than 4 hours, throw it out.
When did Plain English Allergen Labelling (PEAL) become mandatory?
PEAL became mandatory on 25 February 2024, with a transition period to 25 February 2026 for stock already packaged before the deadline. It requires allergens in bold in the ingredient list plus a bold “Contains” summary statement.
Want your team properly trained?
Allergen management, temperature control and cleaning are all core parts of the nationally recognised Food Safety Supervisor course — 100% online, $99, certificate within one business day.
Enrol Now — $99