Personal hygiene for people working with food

Information for food premises

Don’t let your food turn nasty!

Food poisoning is a serious health problem. It can cause severe illness and even death.
Food poisoning can seriously damage the reputation of a business, damage the reputation of the food industry, and damage the jobs of many workers.
As a person who handles food – whether you are a kitchen hand, a food process worker, a shop assistant or a waiter – you have an important responsibility to handle food safely. So:
• protect other people from getting sick
• protect your reputation in the food industry
• protect your business, and
• protect your job.
Victorian and Australian food safety laws are designed to ensure that food that is sold is safe to eat and free of any contamination.
All Victorian businesses and organisations that make, display, transport or prepare food for sale must comply with the national Food Safety Standards and Victorian food laws. This includes following requirements that apply to certain classes of food premises, that is:
Class 1 and 2
• Follow the business food safety program
• Follow the advice given by the food safety supervisor, unless your premises is exempt.
Class 3
• Complete the required basic records about your food handling practices and keep them onsite.
Your council will advise you about the class of your food premises.