Food Business Information
Food Business Registration
Most food businesses are required to be registered with the Town of Bassendean. This is done by completing a Food Business Registration Form and submitting it to the Town’s Health Services team, together with payment of the relevant fee. Once the Food Business Registration Form is assessed by Health Services staff, a Certificate of Registration of a Food Business, will be issued to the food business proprietor. It is an offence under the Food Act 2008 to conduct an unregistered food business.
Food businesses must comply with the requirements of the Food Act 2008, the Food Regulations 2009, and the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. Chapter 3 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (also referred to as the Food Safety Standards) outlines the structural requirements your premises must meet, as well as the essential food handling and staff hygiene practices that must be followed to ensure the production of safe food.
If you are looking at starting a new business or are thinking about purchasing an existing food business, please read the following information:
Food Businesses Information Sheet
Exempt Food Business Notification Form
Food Business Registration Form
Food Business Establishment Application and Guidelines
Home Based Food Business
A food business includes any premises where food handling, food preparation, food storage or food distribution activities are carried out for sale to the public (including in-kind rewards), and includes non-profit and community organisations. If the handling of food for sale occurs at a domestic premises i.e. preparing food for sale at markets; bed and breakfast accommodation; home-based catering businesses, there are special food safety issues to consider. For information regarding operating a food business from home, please refer to the following:
Home Based Food Business Information Sheet
Fundraising and Charitable Events
Section 6 of the Food Act 2008 allows for certain food preparation activities of a charitable or community nature to be exempt from all or any provisions of the Act. One of the exemptions relates to registration, provided that:
- The food business is conducted to raise money solely for purposes that are of a charitable or community nature;
- Any food handled in the course of conducting the food business is not potentially hazardous foods;
- Any food handled in the course of conducting the food business, after being cooked, is provided by the food business for immediate consumption.
This means that premises used for the preparation of non-potentially hazardous food by volunteers will not need to be registered. The people who intend to carry out a charitable or fundraising event will still be required to notify the Town of Bassendean of their food preparation activities. If you are a Charity or Community Organisation that wishes to undertake a sausage sizzle, cake stall or similar, please complete the Fundraising and Charitable Events Notification Form.
Fundraising and Charitable Events Notification Form
Name and Shame Website - Publication of Names of Offenders
The Department of Health (WA) maintains a web based publication that lists food businesses and individuals that have been convicted of an offence under the food Act 2008 and its subsidiary legislation relating to the handling of food.
The purpose of maintaining the list is to provide consumers with information to enable them to make informed decisions about where they buy food. The Town of Bassendean is compelled by the Act to forward details on any prosecutions to the Department of Health, which will then publish on its website.
Department of Health Website