Food Manufacturing Glossary
Key terms and definitions for food manufacturing, compliance, and labelling in Australia.
A
Allergen Control Plan
A documented plan for managing allergens in a food manufacturing facility, including ingredient segregation, cleaning procedures, labelling verification, and staff training.
Allergen Declaration
A mandatory label statement identifying the presence of priority allergens in a food product, required under FSANZ Standard 1.2.3 of the Food Standards Code.
B
Batch Record
A documented record of a production batch including ingredient lots, quantities, production parameters, quality checks, and operator information.
Batch Tracking
The process of recording and managing production batches in food manufacturing, enabling forward and backward traceability from raw materials to finished products.
Best-Before Date
A date marking on food labels indicating the date until which the food will remain at its best quality if properly stored. Food may still be safe to consume after this date.
C
Compound Ingredient
An ingredient that is itself made up of two or more ingredients. Under FSANZ, compound ingredients making up 5% or more of the final food must have their sub-ingredients declared.
Contract Manufacturing
The production of food products by a third-party manufacturer on behalf of a brand owner, requiring separate recipe management, costing, and compliance documentation for each client.
Corrective Action
A response taken when monitoring indicates that a critical control point has deviated from its established limits, designed to bring the process back under control and address any affected product.
Country of Origin Labelling
Mandatory labelling requirements in Australia that indicate where food was grown, produced, made, or packed, governed by the Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard 2016.
Critical Control Point
A point, step, or procedure in food production at which controls can be applied to prevent, eliminate, or reduce a food safety hazard to an acceptable level.
Cross-Contamination
The unintentional transfer of allergens, bacteria, or other contaminants from one food or surface to another, a critical food safety concern in manufacturing facilities handling multiple product lines.
D
Date Marking
The use of best-before or use-by dates on food packaging. Use-by dates indicate food safety limits and must not be exceeded. Best-before dates indicate quality and the food may still be safe after the date.
Dietary Fibre
The portion of plant-derived food that cannot be completely broken down by human digestive enzymes. It is an optional but commonly declared nutrient on Australian nutrition information panels.
F
Food Additive
A substance added to food to perform a technological function such as preserving, colouring, flavouring, or improving texture. Food additives must be declared on labels using their class name and number or specific name.
Food Composition Database
A reference database containing the nutritional composition of foods, used as the basis for calculating nutrition information panels. In Australia, the primary source is the FSANZ food composition database.
Food Contact Surface
Any surface that comes into direct contact with food during production, including equipment, utensils, conveyor belts, and packaging materials.
Food Costing
The process of calculating the total cost of producing a food product by tracking ingredient prices, quantities, waste factors, and production yields.
Food Recall
The removal of a food product from sale, distribution, and consumption due to a food safety issue. In Australia, recalls are coordinated by the food manufacturer in consultation with state/territory food authorities.
Food Safety Audit
A systematic examination of a food business's food safety management system, including HACCP plans, GMP compliance, documentation, and operational practices.
Food Safety Program
A documented system based on HACCP principles that identifies food safety hazards and establishes controls to manage them, required for most food businesses in Australia.
Food Standards Code
The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code — the collection of standards governing food composition, labelling, safety, and production maintained by FSANZ.
Food Traceability
The ability to track and trace food products forward through the supply chain to consumers and backward to their source ingredients and suppliers.
FSANZ
Food Standards Australia New Zealand — the regulatory body that develops and maintains the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code governing food labelling, safety, and composition.
H
HACCP
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points — a systematic preventive approach to food safety that identifies physical, chemical, and biological hazards in production processes and designs measures to reduce them to safe levels.
Health Claims
Statements on food labels about the relationship between a food or nutrient and a health effect, regulated under FSANZ Standard 1.2.7 and requiring substantiation.
L
Lot Number
A unique identifier assigned to a specific batch or lot of food products, enabling traceability from production through to distribution and retail.
Lupin
A legume that is classified as a priority allergen under FSANZ Standard 1.2.3, requiring mandatory declaration on food labels in Australia and New Zealand.
N
Nutrition Information Panel
A mandatory table on packaged food labels in Australia displaying the average quantity of energy, protein, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, sugars, and sodium per serve and per 100g or 100mL.
Nutritional Claims
Statements on food labels about the nutritional properties of a food, such as "low fat" or "high in fibre", which must meet specific criteria defined in FSANZ Standard 1.2.7.
P
Percentage Labelling
The requirement under FSANZ Standard 1.2.10 to declare the percentage of characterising ingredients or characterising components in food products.
Private Label
Food products manufactured by one company (contract manufacturer) but sold under another company's brand name, common in Australian supermarket chains.
R
Recall Readiness
The preparedness of a food manufacturer to conduct a product recall quickly and effectively, including having traceability systems, communication plans, and documented procedures in place.
Recipe Management
The systematic management of food product recipes including ingredient specifications, quantities, preparation methods, and version control.
Rounding Rules
The specific rules prescribed by FSANZ for rounding nutritional values on nutrition information panels, which vary by nutrient and value range to ensure consistency and accuracy.
S
Sanitisation
The process of reducing microorganisms on food contact surfaces and equipment to safe levels, a fundamental component of food manufacturing hygiene programs.
Serving Size
The reference amount of food used to calculate nutrition information panel values per serve, which must be declared on the label and represent a reasonable single consumption occasion.
Sesame
A seed classified as a priority allergen under FSANZ Standard 1.2.3, requiring mandatory declaration on food labels in Australia and New Zealand when present as an ingredient.
Shelf Life
The period of time during which a food product remains safe, retains desired sensory, chemical, physical, and microbiological characteristics, and complies with nutrition labelling.
SKU
Stock Keeping Unit — a unique identifier assigned to each distinct product and variant in a manufacturer's product range, used for inventory management and product tracking.
Spec Sheet
A specification sheet provided by a supplier detailing the nutritional composition, allergen information, ingredients, and other technical data for a raw material or ingredient.
Standard Operating Procedure
SOP — a documented set of step-by-step instructions for performing routine food manufacturing operations consistently and safely.
Supply Chain
The complete network of organisations, people, activities, and resources involved in producing and delivering food products from raw material sourcing through to final consumer.