Food Safety

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If you are opening, purchasing or selling a food premises, or if you plan to serve food as part of your accommodation premises, there are a number of permits you may need to apply for before you can operate your business. Upon application and payment of an inspection fee, a pre-purchase inspection can be undertaken by an Environmental Health Officer to identify any issues regarding the food premises.

Please note that permits may also be required from Council’s Planning and Building Departments depending on the type of business and the changes you may be making. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all appropriate permits have been obtained.

Food Act New Registration or Renewal

Please fill the pdf for New registration or renewal application form(PDF, 209KB) or complete the below online form.

The Food Act 1984: Information for Food Businesses – Food Act Registration or Notification
The Food Act 1984 (the Act) regulates the sale of food for human consumption. From 1 July 2022 a new food premises classification system applies to all food premises operating in Victoria.
If your business sells food you must either register with, or notify, the council in which the premises is located. This information sheet explains whether you will need to register or notify.
Online form for Food Act Registration or Notification:
Proprietor Details:
(e.g. Director of Company)
Is the primary contact the business owner? * (required)
Primary Contact Details (if different from above)
(e.g. Director of Company)
Are you completing this form on behalf of the business owner? * (required)
Business type (please tick appropriate box): * (required)
Premises details:
Please note: Trust funds are not acceptable as company or proprietor name.
e.g. café, restaurant, bar, manufacturer, take-away, home-based premises, and mobile food premises. Indicate the type of food / drink you intend to prepare / sell at the food premises.
Will you be selling tobacco? * (required)
Will you have dining on premises? * (required)
Will your new food business be home-based? * (required)
Food Class: Victoria classifies food premises according to the level of food safety risk and the type of food handling activities that occur at the premises. Food premises are classified according to the highest risk activity occurring at the premises. There are 5 risk classes for food premises- Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, Class 3A and Class 4.
Please note: Class 4 food premises do not require a paid registration with council. Class 4 food premises are only required to notify council of their food handling activities.
Please select the appropriate Class for your proposed new food business from the table on the following page. Some examples have been provided, but for further assistance to determine your food Class please contact council’s Environmental Health Team via ehealth@moira.vic.gov.au or 03 5871 9222.
Food Class 1
Description: Food prepared, cooked or served exclusively for vulnerable groups & Examples include (but not limited to): Aged care services, hospital, child care centres or meals on wheels service.
Food Class 2
Description: Food premises manufacturing, handling or selling unpackaged potentially hazardous food, OR food premises manufacturing low-risk food for which an allergen-free claim is made (excluding home-based premises) & Examples include (but not limited to): Cafés, delis, take-away premises, restaurants, caterers or any home-based businesses that manufacturer high risk food Community group or not for profit preparing high risk food Supermarket or manufacturer Hotel/ Pub Sporting club or other food business Handling unpackaged high-risk food.
Food Class 3
Description: Food premises handling unpackaged low-risk food, warehousing/ distribution of pre-packaged food, sale of pre-packaged potentially hazardous food, sale of shell eggs, sale of ready to eat potentially hazardous food by community group, making of sweet/ savoury foods that do not require temperature control for safety & Examples include (but not limited to): Grocer who only sells cut fruit, vegetables and/or packaged food Businesses making and selling low risk baked products such as cakes/ cookies/ muffins/ etc. with no additional cream/custard fillings added after baking Wholesaler / distributor / importer of food Re-packaged food that does not require temperature control Community groups cooking food on site (eg. BBQ) for immediate consumption where those handling food are volunteers and the activity tasks place for a maximum of 2 consecutive days at time.
Food Class 3A
Description: Food premises preparing and cooking potentially hazardous foods which are served to guests on request for immediate consumption at an accommodation getaway premises (eg. B&B), OR a home-based or temporary food premises using a hot-fill process to make food products & Examples include (but not limited to): Bed and breakfasts, farm-stays, guesthouses, nature retreats, some motels Chutneys, tomato sauce, relishes, salsas, jam made by a home-based food premises or at a temporary food premises (eg. A hired kitchen) which include preservatives (salt/ sugar/ vinegar) and are bottled and sealed hot.
Food Class 4
Description: Food premises selling prepackaged low-risk food, temporary premises cooking and serving sausages immediately, wine tastings, sale of whole fruit and vegetables, handling and serving of low-risk food or cut fruit/ veg for children, food premises serving coffee/ tea/ alcohol for immediate consumption & Examples include (but not limited to): Newsagents, bottleshops, chemists and pharmacies, department stores, post offices Community groups, charitable organisations, fundraisers cooking sausages for immediate consumption with or without onions, and bread and sauce (eg Bunnings sausage sizzle) Green grocers, market stalls selling whole fruit or vegetables Children’s education or care services facilities Wine bars, drinks vendors, coffee/tea sellers serving beverages for immediate consumption (without the addition of unpasteurized or potentially hazardous foods).
Food Safety Supervisors and Food Safety Programs: This section is only required to be completed by Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3A food businesses. All Class 1 businesses must have an independent Food Safety Program. Class 2 and 3A food businesses must follow a food safety program of their choice. Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3A food businesses are required to have at least one person who has completed food safety supervisor training and is the designated Food Safety Supervisor for that business.
Name of food safety supervisor:
Food safety supervisor is enrolled to do a course at
Class 2 and 3A Food Premises- Food Safety Program (FSP) Declaration:
Additional Information:
Sale or consumption of liquor:
Do you plan on selling liquor at your food business? If yes, please contact Council’s Planning Team to discuss further approvals that may be required.
Community Group:
Are you a community group that sells food up to two consecutive days at a time and most food handlers are volunteers?
Mobile Food Premises:
Will your new food business be a mobile food premises?
Make:
Model:
Food Safety Supervisor: * (required)
Please note that a food safety supervisor is not required if the food premises: a) has a declared QA food safety program that includes competency based or accredited training for staff of the premises; or b) is a community group that is exempt.
Fees: Class 1 & 2 Registration: $949.00 or Class 3 & 3A Registration: $508.00

Design and fitout of your premises: Design and construction of food premises must be in accordance with Food Standard Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) Food Safety Standard 3.2.2 and 3.2.3 and suitable for the food activities conducted as part of the business. Copies of these standards are available on the www.foodstandards.gov.au. The Australian standard for design, construction and fit-out of food premises (AS 4674-2004) also provides valuable information for many proprietors in designing their premises.

*Please note: your new business (including home-based) may require the installation of a grease trap and/or a trade waste agreement. Please contact North East Water for further information and guidance.

Required Documents: There are no attachments if you have a template standard food safety program.

  • Class 1 Premises - copy of the non-standard / independent food safety program Only (1) Copy
  • Class 1 Premises - A current certificate from an approved food safety auditor indicating that the FSP is adequate only if applicable. Only (1) Copy
  • Class 2 Premises - A current certificate from an approved food safety auditor stating that the FSP meets the requirements of the Act only if available. Only (1) Copy
  • Class 2 Premises - if you have not attached the current certificate from an approved auditor - attach a copy of the non- standard / independent food safety program. (Do not attach QA Systems)

Collection Statement:

Your application and the personal information on this form is being collected by Moira Shire Council for the purposes of administrating your application for Registration of a Food Premises.

The information collected is required under the Food Act 1984 and will be used for the purpose it was collected and/or a directly related purpose. If you do not provide the information in your application it may result in the application not being accepted, lapsing or being refused. Information collected may be disclosed if required by legislation.

You must not submit any personal information or copyright material of third parties without their informed consent. By submitting the material, you agree that the use of the material as detailed above does not breach any third party’s right to privacy and copyright.

You can find out more about how we use and protect your information by viewing our Privacy Statement on our website. If you require access to the information you have provided, please contact Council.

Class 4 Food Premises

If you are planning to operate a temporary food premises (class 4) such as a community fundraiser, basic sausage sizzle or basic cake stall (no cream), you need to notify council of your activities. (It is an offence to fail to notify your council that you are operating such a food premises).

Mobile or Temporary Food Premises

Food Trader allows businesses and community groups that sell food from stalls and vans to make a registration application, lodge a notification or Statement of Trade and manage information. This can be done anytime day or night with no need to go to the Council office. Once your application has been accepted by Council you can trade anywhere in Victoria.

  1. Register your temporary and mobile food premises

  2. For further information email ehealth@moira.vic.gov.au or call 03 5871 9222.

Fees

Current registration fees can be provided upon application.  This applies to

  • Business selling high risk foods 
  • Business selling low risk foods  
  • Community groups    

Transfer of registration fees are 50% of the annual registration fee.
Pre-purchase inspections are charged at 50% of the annual registration fee.

Additional information may be provided about food premises and food safety including

  • Inspection of premises
  • Complaints
  • Food labelling matters
  • Random sampling of products.  This ensures compliance with the Food Act and Food Standards Code.
  • Education seminars and advice to proprietors
  • Any other general enquiries

The Environmental Health team at council can assist you with information regarding food premises within the municipality. 

Further information can be found on the Department of Health website.

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