Food Safety

Cowra Council is responsible for ensuring that all food outlets comply with relevant laws that are designed  to ensure health and safety standards are upheld at all times. 

To find out further information about Council’s role in food safety, please explore the FAQ’s below:

Frequently Asked Questions

What sort of premises is Council responsible for inspecting?

Council is responsible for inspecting the following types of Food premises annually:

  • Cafes, fast food outlets and restuarants
  • Supermarkets
  • School canteens
  • Mobile Food vans
  • Catering businesses
  • Fetes and street stalls

What is a food premise?

A food premise is defined as any place where food is handled, stored or prepared for consumption by the general public. This would generally include: 

  • Food shops
  • Street vending vehicles
  • Cake stalls
  • Fetes and street stalls
  • Home catering businesses
  • Mobile food vans.

What does the law require for food premises?

The NSW Food Authority is the government organisation that helps ensure food in NSW is safe and correctly labelled. The NSW Food Authority website contains all of the information that you will need in order to understand what the law requires for food premises.

Generally, the following requirements apply:

  • New food premises or alterations to existing food premises must comply with National Food Safety Standards & Codes and must be fitted and constructed in accordance with relevant Australian Standards.
  • Retail food businesses do not need to hold a licence with the NSW Food Authority.
  • Almost all retail businesses need to notify their business details to Food Safety Authorities (Local Council) to comply with food regulations.
  • Certain hospitality and retail food service sector businesses must also designate a Food Safety Supervisor (FSS) and notify the NSW Food Authority of these details. This applies to businesses serving food that is ready to eat, potentially hazardous and not sold and served in its package (e.g. restaurants, cafes, takeaway shops, bakeries, pubs, clubs and hotels).
  • Most licenced food businesses must implement and maintain a food safety program in accordance with the requirements of the NSW Food Authority. 

If you would like to speak to one of Council’s Environmental Health Officers about food safety or the requirements for your food premises, please call Environmental Services on (02) 6340 2040.

 

 

 

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