Food Safety
Overview:
Tenterfield Shire Council’s Environmental Health Officers, carry out a range of activities to ensure all premises selling, handling, storing or manufacturing food sold to the public that operate within the local government area (including mobile food vendors and temporary event stalls) are compliant with relevant requirements and standards (such as the Food Act 2003, The Food Regulation 2010 and the Food Safety Standards Code).
Councils Environmental Health officers conduct routine annual inspections of all food premises, investigate complaints relating to food premises, Assess proposals for the fit out of food premises (either new premises or upgrading of existing), and carry out necessary enforcement action for serious matters of non-compliance. Inspections undertaken routinely and those for fit out of new premises are mandatory.
In ensuring compliance of a food premises Environmental Health Officers focus on a variety of matters relating to food safety which can include issues such as food handling controls, health and hygiene, cleaning/sanitising and maintenance, temperature control, pest control, waste disposal and various other food safety practices and requirements.
Requirements for the fit out of New or Existing Food Premises:
Relevant approval must be obtained from Council prior to the commencement of any fit out work for new or existing food premises. Please contact Council prior to undertaking work on any food premises (including home based businesses) to determine if approval is required.
Food Preparation From Home Guidelines
The following guideline provides an overview of the requirements relating to the Design, Construction and Fit-out of a food premises. Please note that Council will need to inspect any fit out for new or existing premises.
Food Premisis Design, construction and fit-out guide
Requirements for All Food Premises:
Retail Food Business Notification: As of 1 September 2015, retail food businesses such as restaurants, cafes and supermarkets are required to notify the Local Council of their business and food activity details.
Note: All non-retail food businesses, including manufacturers and wholesalers, will need to notify the NSW Food Authority. Licensed businesses (such as butcher shops, dairy producers, seafood processors) are deemed to comply with notification requirements when they submit a completed licence application. These applications can be found at NSW Food Authority – http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au
Food Safety Supervisor (FSS): Any food business that process or sells food that is either ready to eat, potentially hazardous (requires temperature control) or is not sold and served in the suppliers original packaging is required to appoint a FSS to their business. Further information relating to FSS requirements can be obtained from the following Guideline:
Giudeline to Food Safety Supervisor Requirements
To ensure an ongoing minimum level of public health is maintained all food premises must ensure that they are adhering to the requirements of the Food Safety Standards and requirements which are applicable to that premises. For more detailed information regarding these standards please refer to the following websites:
NSW Food Authority – http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au
Food Standards Australia New Zealand: http://www.foodstandards.gov.au
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