{"id":"F2022L01063","name":"Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Standard 4.2.9 – Primary Production and Processing Standard for Melons","slug":"australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-4-2-9-primary-production-and-processing-standard-","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":102552,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2022L01063-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Standard 4.2.9 – Primary Production and Processing Standard for Melons","content":"![Food Standards Australia New Zealand logo](image.001.png)\n\nStandard 4.2.9 – Primary Production and Processing Standard for Melons\n\nThe Board of Food Standards Australia New Zealand gives notice of the making of this Standard under section 92 of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991. The Standard commences on a date 30 months after the date of gazettal.\n\n9 August 2022\n\n![Signature of the Delegate of the Board of Food Standards Australia New Zealand](image.002.png)\n\nRenee Sobolewski\n\nDelegate of the Board of Food Standards Australia New Zealand\n\nNote:\n\nThis Standard will be published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. FSC 150 on 12 August 2022. This means that this date is the gazettal date for the purposes of the above notice.\n\n  \n\nStandard 4.2.9 Primary Production and Processing Standard for Melons\n\nNote 1 This instrument is a standard under the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (Cth). The standards together make up the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. See also section 1.1.1—3.\n\nNote 2 This Standard applies in Australia only.\n\nDivision 1 Preliminary\n\n4.2.9—1 Name\n\nThis Standard is Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Standard 4.2.9 – Primary Production and Processing Standard for Melons.\n\nNote Commencement:  \nThis Standard commences on a date 30 months after the date of gazettal, being the date specified as the commencement date in notices in the Gazette and the New Zealand Gazette under section 92 of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (Cth). See also section 93 of that Act.\n\n4.2.9—2 Definitions\n\nIn this Standard:\n\nmelons means fresh melons; and includes watermelon, rockmelon, honeydew melon, and piel de sapo.\n\ngrowing site means any site used to grow melons; and includes an open, partially enclosed or enclosed planting area.\n\nharvest means all activities related to the collection and removal of melons from a growing site; and includes picking, cutting, field packing (including packaging for retail sale), and transport from the growing site to the next step in the supply chain.\n\npremises and equipment means equipment, infrastructure, structures and vehicles that:\n\n(a) are used by a primary horticulture producer and a primary horticulture processor; and\n\n(b) have direct or indirect contact with melons.\n\nprimary horticulture producer means a business, enterprise or activity that involves the growing and/or harvesting of melons.\n\nprimary horticulture processor means a business, enterprise or activity that involves one or more of the following activities in relation to melons that have been harvested:\n\n(a) washing;\n\n(b) trimming;\n\n(c) sorting;\n\n(d) sanitising;\n\n(e) storing;\n\n(f) combining harvested melons;\n\n(g) packing; and\n\n(h) transport between primary processing premises.\n\nrelevant activity means:\n\n(a) in relation to a primary horticulture producer, the growing and/or harvesting of melons; and\n\n(b) in relation to a primary horticulture processor, any of the following:\n\n(i) washing harvested melons;\n\n(ii) trimming harvested melons;\n\n(iii) sorting harvested melons;\n\n(iv) sanitising harvested melons;\n\n(v) storing harvested melons;\n\n(vi) combining harvested melons;\n\n(vii) packing harvested melons; and\n\n(viii) transporting harvested melons between primary processing premises.\n\nNote 1 In this Chapter (see clause 1 of Standard 4.1.1):\n\ngeneral food safety management requirements means the requirements in Division 2 of Standard 4.1.1.\n\ninputs includes any feed, litter, water (including recycled water), chemicals or other substances used in, or in connection with, the primary production or processing activity.\n\nNote 2 Clause 3 of Standard 4.1.1 sets out when a food will be unacceptable for the purposes of this Standard.\n\n4.2.9—3 Application\n\n(1) This Standard applies to primary horticulture producers and to primary horticulture processors in Australia.\n\n(2) This Standard does not apply to the retail sale of melons.\n\n(3) This Standard does not apply to manufacturing of harvested melons which includes the cooking, freezing, drying, preserving, blending or juicing of harvested melons or the addition of other foods to harvested melons.\n\n4.2.9—4 General food safety management requirements\n\nA primary horticulture producer and a primary horticulture processor must comply with the general food safety management requirements.\n\n4.2.9—5 Traceability\n\nA primary horticulture producer and a primary horticulture processor must have in place a system that can identify:\n\n(a) from whom melons were received; and\n\n(b) to whom melons were supplied.\n\n4.2.9—6 Inputs – soil, fertiliser and water\n\nA primary horticulture producer and a primary horticulture processor must take all reasonable measures to ensure that any of the following inputs do not make the melons unacceptable:\n\n(a) soil;\n\n(b) soil amendments (including manure, human biosolids, compost, and plant bio‑waste);\n\n(c) fertiliser; and\n\n(d) water.\n\n4.2.9—7 Growing sites\n\nA primary horticulture producer must take all reasonable measures to ensure that a growing site is located, designed, constructed, maintained and operated such that melons are not made unacceptable.\n\n4.2.9—8 Weather events\n\nA primary horticulture producer and a primary horticulture processor must take appropriate remedial action to ensure that melons adversely affected by weather conditions are not unacceptable.\n\n4.2.9—9 Premises and equipment\n\n(1) A primary horticulture producer and a primary horticulture processor must take all reasonable measures to ensure that premises and equipment are designed, constructed, maintained and operated in a way that:\n\n(a) allows for effective cleaning and sanitisation of the premises and equipment; and\n\n(b) does not make melons unacceptable.\n\n(2) A primary horticulture producer and a primary horticulture processor must ensure that premises and equipment are kept clean, sanitised and in good repair to the extent required to ensure that melons are not made unacceptable.\n\n4.2.9—10 Temperature of harvested melons\n\nA primary horticulture producer and a primary horticulture processor must keep harvested melons at a temperature that does not make the melons unacceptable.\n\n4.2.9—11 Washing and sanitisation of harvested melons\n\nA primary horticulture processor must take all reasonable measures to ensure that:\n\n(a) visible extraneous material on harvested melons is removed; and\n\n(b) any washing or sanitising of harvested melons does not make the melons unacceptable.\n\n4.2.9—12 Animals and pests\n\nA primary horticulture producer and a primary horticulture processor must take all reasonable measures to minimise the presence of animals, vermin and pests in growing sites, and in premises and equipment, to ensure that melons are not made unacceptable.\n\n4.2.9—13 Skills and knowledge\n\nA primary horticulture producer and a primary horticulture processor must ensure that persons who engage in a relevant activity, or who supervise a person who engages in a relevant activity, have:\n\n(a) knowledge of food safety and food hygiene matters; and\n\n(b) skills in food safety and food hygiene matters\n\ncommensurate with their work.\n\n4.2.9—14 Health and hygiene of personnel and visitors\n\nA primary horticulture producer and a primary horticulture processor must take all reasonable measures to ensure that personnel and visitors exercise personal hygiene and health practices that do not make melons unacceptable.\n\n4.2.9—15 Sale or supply of unacceptable melons\n\nA primary horticulture producer and a primary horticulture processor must not sell or supply melons for human consumption if they ought reasonably know, or ought reasonably suspect, that the melons are unacceptable.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Standard limits its scope to primary production and primary processing of fresh melons in Australia and expressly excludes retail sale and manufacturing processes. The instrument itself sets this scope; there is no text indicating a change from an earlier or different scope within the instrument."},"complexity_factors":["Cross‑reference to general requirements in Standard 4.1.1 creates reliance on external rules and definitions.","Use of open‑ended duty phrases like “take all reasonable measures” leaves room for regulatory discretion and interpretation.","Broad, non‑prescriptive obligations (e.g. traceability system, temperature control, washing practices) require operators to design site‑specific procedures.","Multiple defined terms (primary horticulture producer/processor, relevant activity, premises and equipment) require entities to classify their operations to know if they fall within scope.","Exclusions (retail sale and manufacturing) create boundary issues for mixed businesses that both primary‑process and manufacture.","Commencement delayed by 30 months imposes an implementation timeline that may affect planning and capital investments."],"plain_english_summary":"Sets mandatory food‑safety rules for people who grow or do primary processing of fresh melons in Australia. It requires producers and primary processors to follow general food‑safety management, keep traceability records, control inputs (soil, fertiliser, water), maintain site and equipment hygiene, manage temperature, washing and pests, ensure worker hygiene and skills, and not sell melons that are, or are suspected to be, unacceptable. This matters because it assigns operational and recordkeeping costs to growers and processors to manage food‑safety risk."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains tightly focused on its original purpose: establishing food safety requirements for melon production and primary processing. It does not appear to have expanded beyond this scope."},"complexity_factors":["Short, focused scope covering only melon production and primary processing","Only 8 defined terms in the interpretation section (melons, growing site, harvest, premises and equipment, primary horticulture producer, primary horticulture processor, relevant activity, plus references to external definitions)","Straightforward structure with single-layer obligations ('must take all reasonable measures') rather than nested conditions","Minimal cross-referencing — only refers to general food safety requirements in Standard 4.1.1 and the definition of 'unacceptable' food","No exceptions or exemptions beyond the two simple carve-outs for retail and manufacturing","Uses consistent, repetitive language patterns across clauses (e.g., 'take all reasonable measures to ensure')","No schedules, tables, or mathematical formulas"],"plain_english_summary":"This law sets mandatory food‑safety requirements for people and businesses who grow, harvest or process melons in Australia (watermelon, rockmelon, honeydew, piel de sapo), covering on‑farm and post‑harvest practices to prevent contamination, ensure traceability, hygiene, cleaning, temperature control, staff training and to stop unsafe produce entering the market.\n\nIt excludes retail and further manufacturing. It responds to past listeria and salmonella outbreaks by reducing risks and protecting public health."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-4-2-9-primary-production-and-processing-standard-","history":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-4-2-9-primary-production-and-processing-standard-/history","analysis":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-4-2-9-primary-production-and-processing-standard-/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-4-2-9-primary-production-and-processing-standard-/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-4-2-9-primary-production-and-processing-standard-/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-4-2-9-primary-production-and-processing-standard-/documents"}}