Food Businesses

• to provide information to food business proprietors and staff on how to safely prepare, store and handle food at their food premises, and meet the requirements of the Food Safety Standards.
• to monitor the level of hygiene and health of food premises that members of the public expect when they choose to dine out or purchase food for sale.
• to work with our Authorities and organisations to continually improve services which Council provide to food businesses, such as the Food Regulation Partnership with the NSW Food Authority.

Strathfield Council conducts regulatory inspections to ensure compliance with the Food Safety Standards.

Premises which sell hot foods, ready to eat foods or have had a number of food safety non-compliances may be inspected twice per year and those businesses which only sell dry foods, or carry out low risk activities in relation to food handling may be inspected one time per year.

Premises that may be inspected include restaurants, cafes, fast food outlets, kiosks, bakeries, supermarkets, temporary food stalls, school canteens, child care centres preparing food, home caterers and any other establishments where food is prepared, stored and sold.

The regulatory inspections can be carried out at any time of the year and are designed to make an accurate assessment of food handling practices and food safety measures within the business.

In accordance with Council’s fees and charges, food shops which have maintained a consecutive Scores on Doors star rating of 3 star and above will have the annual administration fee of $390 waived.

All existing and new food businesses which sell or handle food in the Strathfield Local Government Area must register their details with Council’s Environmental Services Section.

It is the proprietor’s responsibility to ensure that the form below is completed and returned to Council.

If you would like more information, or require that your food business is registered with Council, please contact Strathfield Council on (02) 9748 9999 or e-mail council@strathfield.nsw.gov.au

Application to Register a Business(PDF, 35KB)

Any food business which serves food that is:

• ready to eat
• potentially hazardous, and
• not sold and served in its package

Must have completed and then nominated a Food Safety Supervisor to the NSW Food Authority and Council.

There are exemptions for food business which do not require a Food Safety Supervisor and these include:

• coffee vendors that only heat milk
• not-for-profit community and charitable causes
• school canteens (primary or secondary)
• boarding schools
• childrens service (childcare centres)
• out of school hours care services
• correctional centres
• supermarkets (if heated food is not sold)
• food business premises that only do one or more of the following activities only:
  • slice fermented meats or smallgoods, or both
  • slice or portion cheese, or both
  • process raw seafood
  • slice or portion fruit or vegetables, or both that is ready-to-eat food

Furthermore food businesses which are licensed by NSW Food Authority are not required to have a Food Safety Supervisor.

The Food Safety Supervisor must complete a NSW Food Authority approved food safety training course. The aim of the course is to increase food safety awareness among proprietors and staff of food businesses to minimise and control food safety risks.

You should contact the NSW Food Authority to find a list of registered training providers that deliver the Food Safety Supervisors course. Penalties can apply for businesses failing to appoint a food safety supervisor.

Click here for Food Safety Supervisor Requirements on the NSW Food Authority website.

The regulation of food businesses is under the Food Act 2003, Food Regulation 2010 and the Food Safety Standards. Council checks each clause of the Food Safety Standards during inspections.

The Food Safety Standards were introduced in NSW on 24 February 2001. The food safety standards provide technical standards which are governed by the Food Act and cover aspects such as temperature control, hygiene requirements, food handling requirements, pest control, cleanliness standards and design and construction matters.

The three standards include:

• Standard 3.1.1 Interpretation and Application;
• Standard 3.2.2 Food Safety Practices and General Requirements;  and
• Standard 3.2.3 Food Premises and Equipment

Further information and access to the standards can be obtained by visiting the Food Standards Australian New Zealand website

Food borne illness can arise from a number of potential factors such as inadequate hand washing, cross contamination of food, bacterial growth in food due to inadequate temperature control and a range of other factors.

Cases of food borne illness should be reported to the NSW Food Authority and can be contacted at 1300 552 406 or contact@foodauthority.nsw.gov.au.

Click here for more information on Food borne Illness on the NSW Food Authority Website.

In addition to the Food Safety Standards, Standards Australia has produced a standard for the design and construction of food premises. The standards explains how a food premises should be designed and constructed to ensure that it can be effectively cleaned, maintained and that food is adequately protected from the likelihood of contamination.

Australian Standard 4674-2004 Design, construction and fit-out of food premises can be purchased from Standards Australia Customer Service – telephone 1300 654 646 or downloaded here.