Food safety

All food businesses must comply with:  

• Food Act 2001 - the Act 
• Food Regulations 2017 
• Food Safety Standards 

Under the Act any food business handling or selling food must notify their local Council of their food business before commencing operations: 

Food business notification form 

This applies to all food businesses in the City of Tea Tree Gully including:

• Home-based food businesses
• Mobile food businesses
• Temporary food businesses

You only need to complete the form once unless the details of the food business change. 

• Submitting the notification form is free. 
• Fines may apply for operating a food business without notifying.

Food Safety Standard 3.2.2a – Category 1 and Category 2 businesses

Food Safety Standard 3.2.2a came into effect 8 December 2022. It applies to Cat 1 and Cat 2 businesses.

There are new requirements for all food service, catering and retail businesses that handle unpackaged, ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous foods.

• Existing businesses should implement the requirements before 8 December 2023.
• Frequently asked questions(PDF, 277KB) 
• Food Safety Standards 3.2.2A infographic(PDF, 154KB) 
• Further information: SA Health website 

Food Safety Standard 3.2.3 - business fit-outs

Food Safety Standards 3.2.3 sets out the food premises and equipment requirements for the business. This checklist(PDF, 282KB) may help you during the design process.

Complying with the Standards helps avoid expensive alterations after opening. 

Our Environmental Health team can provide advice about complying with the Standards. It is recommended that you provide floor plans prior to commencing works.  

Food handlers must have appropriate skills and knowledge about food safety. This is a mandatory requirement of FSANZ Food Safety Standard 3.2.2.

SA Health supports and encourages the use of an online food safety training program called 'Do Food Safely'. This is free and available at Vic Health Do Food Safely 

Once completed, a certificate can be emailed to the user.

Our Environmental Health team conduct various mandatory inspections of food premises.

For a full list of inspection fees refer to Council's Fees and charges register(PDF, 5MB)   

• Routine inspections: The frequency of routine inspections is dependant on the type of food business, the associated risks and prior compliance with the food legislation. 
  
  Inspections are subject to fees as set out in the Food Regulations Act 2017. 
  
  
• Fit-out inspections: A fit-out inspection needs to be conducted prior to a food business beginning operation. This helps ensure food business premises comply with the requirements of the Food Safety Standards. 
  
  There is no fee for this inspection.
  
  
• Inspection following a food complaint/food poisoning incident: We may conduct an inspection in response to a complaint about a health issue in a food business or if a food poisoning incident is suspected to be linked to a food business.
  
  Complaints and incidents should be reported to our Environmental Health team on 8397 7444 
  
  

Auditing

The Food Safety Standards require facilities providing food to vulnerable people to develop a Food Safety Program and undergo audits. 

Vulnerable people are classified as the elderly, people who are immuno-compromised and children aged 4 or less.

Businesses most likely to fall into this category include but are not limited to:

• aged care facilities
• child care centres
• hospitals 
• nursing homes 

Food safety program templates are available at SA Health 

Both the business and its Food Safety Program must be audited routinely by an accredited Food Safety Auditor. The City of Tea Tree Gully has accredited auditors who undertake the auditing for these businesses.

Food poisoning and symptoms can take hours, days or even weeks to develop after eating the responsible food.

It is important to know it is usually not the last thing that was eaten that is the cause of the illness. There are also viruses which can cause similar symptoms that are spread person-to-person and not from food.

We will investigate food complaints and food poisoning incidents. We also assist SA Health with food recalls and food poisoning outbreak situations.

If you have a concern or complaint please call our Environmental Health team on 8397 7444 

The City of Tea Tree Gully participates in the Food Safety Rating Scheme. 

The Scheme provides consumers with food safety information and helps make informed choices about where they choose to eat. For further information and access to the inspection checklist, please refer to SA Health's Food Safety Rating Scheme 

It is important that food safety standards are practiced by food handlers at temporary special events.

If you are planning an event where food will be sold, complete the food safety at special events notification form(PDF, 376KB) and return it to Council at least 2 weeks prior to the event.

Please also access the food safety at outdoor events fact sheet(PDF, 719KB) 

Home-based food businesses

There are health and planning requirements to consider before you begin operation of a home-based food business.

This checklist(PDF, 375KB) can help with the requirements. 

Under the Act, home-based food businesses undertaking food handling activities or selling food must notify their local Council of their food business before commencing operations. Please read the above section on Food business responsibilities.

Temporary or mobile food businesses

Temporary or mobile food businesses must notify their local Council of their food business before commencing operations. Please read the above section on Food business responsibilities.

This includes charity and community groups that sell or provide food. Mobile food businesses are only required to notify the Council where their vehicle/mobile business is garaged.

Mobile and temporary food businesses may be subject to inspections whilst operating in other Council areas.

Trading from the roadside or on Council land:

Refer to Permits - Food vendors selling from streets for mobile food guidelines and application form.

• Receiving food safely 
• Food safety standards - temperature control requirements 
• Thermometers and using them with potentially hazardous food 
• Food handling skills and knowledge 
• Health and hygiene responsibilities of food businesses 
• Health and hygiene responsibilities of food handlers 
• Food recall systems for unsafe food 
• Safe Food Australia - A guide to the Food Safety Standards

Other resources which will be valuable to new food business owners are:

• Food safety at outdoor events information sheet(PDF, 719KB) 
• Cleaning and sanitising of food contact surfaces information sheet(PDF, 455KB) 
• Demonstrating the 2 hour 4 hour rule information sheet(PDF, 383KB) 
  
  

Fact sheets in Vietnamese and Chinese

Council has developed some food safety fact sheets in Vietnamese and Chinese titled:

• Food preparation (Chinese)(PDF, 891KB) 
• Food storage (Chinese)(PDF, 824KB) 
• Keep it clean (Chinese)(PDF, 2MB) 
• Food preparation (Vietnamese)(PDF, 1MB) 
• Food storage (Vietnamese)(PDF, 1MB) 
• Keep it clean (Vietnamese)(PDF, 1MB)

For access to food safety posters, more fact sheets and legislative requirements, visit SA Health's starting a food business