Food Safety

Legislation

Food Safety Legislation

The principal State Act that controls the sale of food in Victoria is the Food Act 1984 (available on the Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents website).

Local councils and the Department of Health administer the Act. Under the Act, food business owners are legally responsible to ensure that food sold to customers is safe and suitable to eat.

The purpose of the Act is to ensure the wholesomeness and purity of food sold in Victoria. It does this by:

• setting out offences for breaches of the food laws and the applicable penalties and defences
• providing the means through which the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code is applied as the law in Victoria. (It includes the national Food Safety Standards and the Food Standards Code developed by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand)
• establishing a new food premises classification system and enforcement powers, including emergency powers where there are immediate threats to public health
• providing the means through which municipal councils register food businesses as defined by the Act.