Food Safety For Businesses

:: Food Inspection Fee
:: Enforcement
:: Food Business Notification Forms
:: Food Inspections - Extension Request
:: "Doggy Bags"
:: Food Safety Programs
:: Temporary Food Premises - Events
:: Useful Templates for Food Businesses
:: Newsletters
:: Useful External Links

Adelaide City Council has approximately 1,000 food businesses located within its jurisdiction, which include restaurants, cafes, snack bars, markets, bakeries, child care centres and hospitals. Council's Environmental Health Officers (EHO's) are involved in conducting routine inspections of these businesses to ensure compliance with the Food Act 2001, Food Regulations 2002 and Food Safety Standards as well as to provide advice and guidance on food safety to business owners. If you require assistance to interpret sections of the Food Safety Standards, please refer to the Safe Food Australia document as a guide. Further information regarding food safety can also be obtained by contacting Environmental Health Services on 8203 7405.

Routine food inspections conducted by Environmental Health Officers involve an assessment of areas including:

* Receipt of food
* Storage of food
* Processing of food
* Display of food
* Packaging of food
* Transportation and distribution of food
* Recalls/food disposal
* Health, hygiene and knowledge of food operators
* Condition and hygiene of food premises

Food inspection fee

Under section 11 of the Food Regulations 2002, Councils can impose an inspection fee for the carrying out of any food inspection. With this, the following fees are incurred for routine inspections of food businesses within the city:

* In the case of a small business (less than or equal to 20 full time equivalent staff) - $50.00 (inc. GST)
* In any other case (more than 20 full time equivalent staff) - $100.60 (inc. GST)

No fees are incurred for follow-up, spot-check or complaint inspections.
In addition, inspections of temporary food premises and non for profit organisations do not incur a fee.

Enforcement

Where serious offences under the Food Act 2001 occur, Environmental Health Officers have the power to take any necessary enforcement action. Enforcement in which EHO's can take include issuing expiations for non-compliance with the Food Safety Standards ($500-$2,500), as well as serving Improvement Notices ($750 expiation for non-compliance) and Prohibition Orders (closing food businesses) on food businesses.

Food business notification forms

It is a requirement that all food businesses within the City of Adelaide complete and return a Food Business Notification Form. This information will ensure Council has correct and up to date contact details for food businesses and will provide Environmental Health Officers guidance on food safety risks associated with businesses. A Food Business Notification Form only needs to be completed once unless the details of a food business change. No registration fee is incurred by food businesses.

Food Inspections – Extension Request

If you are the proprietor of a food business in the City of Adelaide that has been recently inspected by an Environmental Health Officer and require an extension on items in your inspection report, please complete an Extension Request Form before the specified due dates to negotiate alternative timeframes.

"Doggy Bags"

Many food premises, such as restaurants and cafes, offer their customers "doggy bags" to take left over food that was not eaten at the premise back home with them. The Food Act does not prevent food businesses from providing "doggy bags" to customers and so it is up to businesses to decide if they wish to offer this service. As a food business, left over food should be placed in new, food grade containers and the date should be marked on them. The Department of Health has produced stickers that food premises can place on "doggy bags" advising their customers on how to keep the food safe after taking it away. To obtain these "doggy bag" stickers, please contact Environmental Health Services on 8203 7405.

Food safety programs

On 5 October 2006, Food Safety Standard 3.3.1 was endorsed, requiring food businesses who serve potentially hazardous food to vulnerable persons to comply with Food Safety Standard 3.2.1 and implement a Food Safety Program. Food businesses to which this new Standard applies include hospitals, age care centres, child care centres and mobile food service delivery organisations.

Standard 3.3.1 comes into effect on 5 October 2008. To ensure food businesses meet the requirements of this Standard, they must:

* Implement a suitable Food Safety Program; or
* Review an existing Food Safety Program to ensure it complies with the Food Safety Standards; and
* Coordinate an audit of the Food Safety Program by a Department of Health approved Food Safety Auditor

To assist food businesses develop their own Food Safety Programs, the Department of Health has developed templates for hospitals, age care centres and child care centres:

» Food Safety Program Template - Hospitals
» Food Safety Program Template - Aged Care Facilities
» Food Safety Program Template - Child Care Centres

Please note, Adelaide City Council will be offering auditing services. For further information on Food Safety Programs or to speak with one of Council's Food Safety Auditors to arrange an audit of a food business within the city, please contact Environmental Health Services on 8203 7405.

» Food Safety Programs - Department of Health webpage

Temporary food premises - events

Temporary food premises are structures set up for a specific, occasional event such as a fete or fair where the cost of providing premises to a permanent standard in unnecessary for food safety. The most important part of temporary food operations is that food safety practices are met for the duration of the business operation.

» Temporary Food Premises - Information for Food Operators & Event Organisers (PDF, 263Kb)
» Food Safety Tips for Outdoor Event (Department of Health SA)

Useful templates

» Temperature log sheets (PDF, 42Kb)
» Cleaning and sanitising schedules (PDF, 25Kb)

The 'SA Food Handler Update' is a newsletter that is distributed by a number of Councils to over 9000 food businesses spanning across South Australia. Compiled by a team of Environmental Health Officers from various councils, the newsletter aims to provide food handlers with up to date topical information relating to food safety and hygiene.

» SA Food Handler Update - Issue 2, 2008 (PDF, 520Kb)
» SA Food Handler Update - Issue 1, 2008 (PDF, 200Kb)

» SA Food Handler Update - Issue 3, 2007 (PDF, 552Kb)
» SA Food Handler Update - Issue 2, 2007 (PDF, 763Kb)
» SA Food Handler Update - Issue 1, 2007 (PDF, 282Kb)

Useful links

» Department of Health SA - Food Safety
» Food Standards Australia New Zealand