The Food Act 1984 aims to reduce the incidence of food borne diseases by ensuring that food sold, prepared, manufactured, stored and transported is safe, unadulterated, fit for human consumption and does not cause food poisoning.
Businesses that sell food are responsible for ensuring the food sold is safe and suitable for human consumption in compliance with food laws.
Environmental health officers are responsible for regularly inspecting all types of food establishments to ensure they comply with the Food Act (1984). They also provide advice and information to food proprietors, and deal with food poisoning and food handling complaints.
Visit Victorian Government Health Information for more information about food safety laws and implementation.
Food poisoning and complaints
If a food business is found responsible for causing food poisoning, it could damage its reputation, cost time and money and even close down the business.
Complaints
Customers may contact the Health Services Branch to make a complaint regarding:
- Food premises cleanliness or food handler hygiene practices.
- Contamination of food with foreign object. (Customers are advised to retain the remaining food without removing the contaminant.)
- Suspected food poisoning. (Customers are advised to report the incident as soon as possible and retain any remaining food by wrapping it in clean plastic and it storing in the fridge.)
Food recalls
Sometimes food may be recalled from sale if it poses an unacceptable safety risk to consumers or for reasons of product quality. If food is recalled, retailers and other registered food businesses must remove it from sale, following the recall procedures in their Food Safety Program and any directions on the product recall notice.
The Health Services Branch receives notification from the Department of Human Services advising the nature of the recall and any action to be taken.
For more information about food recalls visit Product Recalls Australia.