Food Safety Surveillance Strategy

The City of Canada Bay is committed to its Food Safety Surveillance Strategy, which aims to minimise the risks associated with the consumption of food sold throughout the City.

Council acknowledges the value of the growing culture of eating outside of the home and its value within the community.  Council also recognises that the community expects and deserves that the food they purchase and consume is safe and of a standard befitting the thriving City we live in.

Council's Food Safety Surveillance Strategy is designed to educate the food handler and encourage the provision of safe food to the consumer.  The introduction of good food safety practices not only minimises the risks associated with food poisoning but also promotes customer confidence, which can have a flow on effect to increased business trade.

Every business selling food within the City must be registered with Council and is inspected by an Environmental Health Officer on a biannual basis without notice.  An inspection fee to recover costs is charged following each inspection.

The Food Safety Surveillance inspection ensures compliance with applicable food legislation and provides an opportunity to educate food handling staff and business proprietors on food safety.  Some of the areas covered during the inspection are:

• Cleanliness of premises;
• Correct food handling practices;
• Correct storage of food;
• Cleanliness of equipment and appliances;
• Temperature control;
• Personal hygiene/pest control; and
• Food shop fit-out compliance.

In the event that a food business is not being maintained in accordance with the legislative requirements of the Food Act 2003 and Food Regulation 2004, Council's officers may use a range of powers to enforce compliance.  Council’s Environmental Health Officers can issue Improvement Notices, Prohibition Orders and/or Penalty Infringement Notices (fines), as well as initiate prosecution proceedings in the Local Court, where heavy penalties apply.

Council's Environmental Health Officers are available to offer professional advice and instruction on food-related matters to proprietors of food businesses, food handling staff and the general public.

Should you require any further information please contact Council's Environmental Health Officers on 9911 6555.

Download Council's Fact Sheets on this subject from Council Forms web page (Food Handling category).