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Food Safety for Your Business or Community Group
Everyone that sells, prepares, manufactures, stores or transports food within the City of Whitehorse needs to comply with the food safety standards as specified in the Victorian Food Act 1984 and the national Food Standards Code.
This means that business owners and their staff, community groups and volunteers are legally responsible for food safety, ensuring that the food they handle and sell is fit for human consumption and does not cause food poisoning. They must also register their food business with Council (or notify Council) in accordance with their level of food safety risk.
Council’s Environmental Health Officers are responsible for regularly inspecting all types of food businesses to ensure that they are structurally sound, to ensure that they comply with the Food Act 1984 and to provide advice and information to business owners and community groups.
Environmental Health Officers also respond to consumer complaints about suspected food poisoning, poor food handling, dirty or unhygienic food premises and food found to contain foreign objects, such as glass or string etc.
5 Star Food Hygiene Assessment System
Council's 5-Star Food Hygiene Assessment System evaluates hygiene standards for high and medium risk food premises such as aged and child care facilities, hospitals, restaurants, cafes, take-away food shops, bakeries, delis and hotels.
Starting a Food Business
Information about how to obtain a Certificate of Registration from Council.
Purchasing an Existing Food Business
Tips on what you should do before purchasing an existing food business.
Food Complaints
Information about Council's food complaints process.
Temporary Food Act Registration
Anyone selling food at a temporary event such as a sausage sizzle, community festival, street stall or fete needs to obtain a Temporary Food Act Registration.
Changes to the Food Act 1984
A summary of recent changes to the Victorian Food Act 1984.
Forms relating to food business can be downloaded from the Food & Health Forms section of the website.
For more information, contact Council's Environmental Health Unit on 9262 6333.