Food Safety
Council has a responsibility to ensure all food sold within the shire is safe and prepared in a hygienic manner. This applies to restaurants and cafes, home food businesses, and temporary and mobile food stalls. Council’s health protection officers regularly visit sites and venues selling food, including shops, markets, stalls, sporting functions and festivals to ensure the correct preparation and sale of food.
Anybody wanting to sell food within the shire must first register their intent to sell by filling out the Food-Act-Premises-Application-Form-2019.docx(DOCX, 43KB) form. The Council’s Health Protection team will follow up your application with you within five working days. For more information about selling food or setting up a food business, visit the Food Business page of our website.
Our food safety regulations are in line with the State Government’s Food Act 1984, and anyone wanting further information should visit the food safety section of the government’s website.
Temporary and mobile food operators, including community groups
Anybody wanting to operate a mobile food van or temporary food premises needs to register with Streatrader, an online registration tool for community groups and businesses selling food from a food stall, truck, van or cart.
Street stalls, festivals and events
To ensure food offered at street stalls, festivals and events is safe for human consumption, it’s important every person involved in food preparation, packaging and storage understands and complies with Council’s guidelines.
Perishable foods are those that can spoil quickly and support the growth of harmful bacteria likely to cause food poisoning. Examples of perishable foods are:
- milk and milk products, including custard, cheese, cream and yoghurt
- cakes with cream fillings
- meat, poultry and fish
- sandwiches containing meat, eggs or mayonnaise
- cooked rice and casseroles.
- pies, pasties or sausage rolls.
Council recommends the sale of non-perishable foods, however perishable foods can be sold if appropriate temperature control measures in place, such as:
- storing cold food below 5 degrees celsius, either on ice or in a refrigerated container.
- keeping hot food above 60 degree celsius after cooking, either in a pie warmer, bain-marie or on a gas burner.
Foods, such as cakes or trays of biscuits, must be kept covered.
Please take a look at the following resources for further information on operating a street food stall or event:
Mobile food vans
Structural standards required to fit a kitchen in a mobile food vehicle are dependent on the nature of the food business, potential risk factors and frequency of use. A complete list of structural requirements can be found in the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Food Premises and Equipment legislation.
In general, the food van proprietor must display their name and contact details on the vehicle and ensure this is maintained in a readable condition.
The following requirements apply to mobile food premises where food and beverages are prepared and offered for sale:
- all fittings, equipment and utensils must be constructed of impervious (waterproof) material capable of being easily cleaned
- a minimum of one sink supplied with hot and cold water for cleaning utensils and equipment used in the preparation of food.
- a dedicated hand wash sink supplied with hot and cold potable (drinkable) water, liquid soap and paper towel
- water heating devices such as urns, kettles or similar are not acceptable
- a waste water holding tank is provided for water from sinks and hand basin
- adequate mechanical ventilation provided above cooking appliances
- adequate refrigeration to ensure cold foods are stored at or below 5 degrees celsius and frozen foods at or below minus 15 degrees celsius
- hot food holding devices, such as bain-maries, must keep food above 60 degrees celsius.
For more information about operating a mobile food van, see the State Government’s food safety page on mobile food premises.
If you want further information on food safety or operating a mobile or temporary food outlet, contact the Council’s health protection team on (03) 5232 9429. For more information on starting a food business, visit the Starting a Business page of our website.