FOOD SAFETY

Due to current changes to the Food Act 1984 all Food Safety information on this website is under construction. If there are items missing please contact Council's Environmental Health Unit on 5320 5702.

In this section:

• Food Safety Information
• Food Safety Program Information
• Opening a New Food Premises
• Purchasing an Existing Food Premises
• Mobile Food Premises and Temporary Food Premises

New classifications of food businesses

Due to the recent changes to the Food Act all premises (new and existing) are to be classified into one of the four new classes. Please find relevant information on the new classes below:

Class 1 Premises (hospitals, child care centres and aged care services which serve high risk food)

Class 2 Premises (other premises that handle high risk unpackaged food)

• Both Class 1 and 2 Premises require the following
  • Food Safety Supervisor
  • Food Safety Program

Class 3 Premises (premises that handle unpackaged low risk food or high risk pre-packaged food, and warehouses and distributors)

• Class 3 Premises require the following
  • Minimum Records 
• The type of premises will determine what minimum records you are required to keep.
  • Fixed and Mobile Premises
  • Temporary Premises
  • Community Group for 1 or 2 day event
  • Community Group for more than 2 days

Class 4 Premises (This includes premises that only undertake the following at a fixed premises):

• sale of shelf stable pre-packaged low risk (confectionery, frozen ice cream, milk)
• sale of packaged alcohol
• sale of uncut fruit and vegetables
• wine tasting
• sale of packaged cakes (excluding cream)
• supply of low risk food at sessional kindergarten

• Class 4 Premises only have to notify by filling in the form below and returning to Council's Environmental Health Unit (25 Armstrong Street South, Ballarat Central).
  • Notification Form

Online Food Safety Training

Department of Health have launched an online food safety training program called Do Food Safely. This program is freely available and strongly encouraged for all food handlers, especially for staff members/volunteers of Class 3 and 4 premises.

For further information on the changes to the Food Act, please visit the Department of Health Food Safety Website.

Information for community groups:

• Sausage Sizzles
• Food Fundraisers
• Cake Stalls
• Community Groups and Classifcation
• Community Groups Guide to Food

Information for Events:

Environmental Health is responsible for monitoring food standards in public areas.  Stall holders and mobile operators need to inform the Environmental Health Unit of the details of events if selling or providing food to community members (this includes sausage sizzles, fete cake stalls & alcohol) by submitting a Statement of Trade.  Event organisers need to identify proposed food vendors attending the event and capture their details for provision to the Environmental Health Unit, who will then provide information with regard to whether a food license is required for each food vendor and appropriate safe food handling techniques.

Food businesses with an existing Victorian Food Act registration must lodge a Statement of Trade with Council’s Environmental Health Unit at least five days prior to commencing operations at an event.  Once this has been provided business can operate under their existing registration.

With regard to registration, all food vendors will fit into one of the 3 categories; depending on which scenario applies to them their requirements are outlined below:

Additional Resources:

Victoria’s Food Act – Food Van’s & Stalls

Making Food Safety your business class 2 premises

Making Food Safety your business class 3 premises

Making Food Safety your business class 4 premises

Information for Community Groups

Do Food Safely – Free online Food Safety Training.