Food Safety
All Victoria Food Businesses have an obligation to follow the food safety regulations for their class of business as set in the Food Act 1984. The Food Act 1984 is the key legislation that controls the sale of food in Victoria.
Complaints or concerns about food contamination should be directed to Council's Environmental Health Officer.
The Food Act 1984
The Food Act 1984 provides the regulatory framework for the food industry to ensure that food sold in Victoria is safe, suitable and correctly labelled. Local councils and the Department of Health & Human Services administer the Act under which food business owners are legally responsible for ensuring that food sold to customers is safe and suitable to eat.
The Food Act 1984(PDF, 1MB)
Food Safety Supervisors
Food business owners must ensure that staff have the skills and knowledge to handle food safely in their roles. To help ensure this all Class 1 and most Class 2 premises must have a qualified Food Safety Supervisor.
Food businesses that operate from more than one site can have one person as the food safety supervisor across a number of premises. The local council must be satisfied with the arrangement you propose. If the premises are in different municipalities, each local council must be satisfied with the arrangements.
Further information about Food Safety Supervisor requirements and exemptions please visit the Department of Health website - here.
Food sectors and minimum competency standards
Food safety supervisor must have completed the relevant training for their food sector.
| Food Sector |
Minimum Competency Standards |
|
Food processing
Businesses such as food product manufacturers, including flour mills, canneries, packers, bakers, breweries and wineries
|
FDFFS2001A ‘Implement the food safety program and procedures’ |
|
Retail
Businesses such as supermarkets,
convenience stores, grocers and delicatessens
Take away and chain food businesses can be considered either retail or hospitality food businesses
|
SIRRFSA001 ‘Handle food safety in a retail environment’
OR
Use both units from the ‘Hospitality’ section below
|
|
Hospitality
Businesses such as restaurants, cafes and hotels
Take away and chain food businesses can be considered either retail or hospitality food businesses
|
SITXFSA001 ‘Use hygienic practices for food safety’ (Release 1) 2016
SITXFSA002 ‘Participate in safe food handling practices’ (Release 1) 2016
OR
Use unit from the ‘Retail’ section above
|
|
Health
Businesses such as hospitals
|
HLTFSE001 ‘Follow basic food safety practices’ (Release 1)
HLTFSE005 ‘Apply and monitor food safety requirements’ (Release 1)
HLTFSE007 ‘Oversee the day-to-day implementation of food safety in the workplace’ (Release 1)
|
| Community Services
Businesses such as childcare centres, nursing homes, hostels, and Meals-on-Wheels services
|
Use all three units from the ‘Health’ section above. |
|
Transport and distribution
Businesses such as warehouses
|
Use the training from a food sector that best describes the warehouse’s purpose.
For example, choose ‘Hospitality’ if your warehouse supplies businesses such as restaurants, cafes and hotels.
|
Download the Food Safety Supervisor Fact Sheet for Business(PDF, 428KB)
Food Safety Program Templates
In Victoria, all Class 1 and 2 food premises need a food safety program.
The department has developed an easy-to-use, simplified food safety program template for Class 2 premises – the Food safety program template for class 2 retail and food service businesses no. 1 version 3. This template features:
- shorter, simpler records
- improved instructions about how to handle food safely
- updated information on allergies and labelling
- instructions about handling raw eggs and raw egg products
- up-to-date information for food vans and stalls.
Class 2 businesses can utilise this latest Food Safety Program Template developed and made available free for download by the Department of Health here.
Minimum records
The minimum records you need to keep when using the latest Food Safety Program Template include your food supplier lists, temperature checks of high risk food in cold and hot storage, cooking temperature checks, thermometer accuracy checks and records of your system for using the 2 hour/4 hour rule for high-risk food that is not kept below 5° or above 60°.
For those businesses using the department's Food Safety Program Template no. 1 version 2, you are still able to continue using it until notified but it is recommended that you consider upgrading to the new template.
You can develop your own Food Safety Program on the Department of Health's Food Smart Website.
Do Food Safely
Do Food Safely is a free online learning resource for people working with food. This online learning resource provides information about safe food handling. Participants can test their knowledge by completing the assessment at the end of the online course.
All Food businesses should encourage all staff to visit the Do Food Safely website to better understand the requirements and need for safe food handling.
Other Useful Food Safety Links
Australian and New Zealand Food Standards Code (FSANZ)
FoodSmart website
Food Recalls
Nutritional Panel Calculator & Nutrition Label Creator (for Food Manufacturers)
Food Labelling Requirements (for Food Manufacturers)
Do not supply prohibited food waste to pigs factsheet(PDF, 61KB)