Food Premises Inspections

Council’s Environmental Health Officers are Authorised Officers under the Food Act 2003. As such they may inspect any retail food business that is believed to be connected with the handling or sale of food. 

Inspections are carried out without prior notice to the food business. They may be carried out at any reasonable time, which usually is during the businesses trading hours.

It is an offence to obstruct an Authorised Officer in exercise of their functions under the Food Act.

The inspections focus on a wide range of issues including:

  • cleanliness
  • temperature control
  • hygiene and food handling practices
  • pest control
  • construction and maintenance of the premises and
  • waste storage

Where premises are found not to be at an acceptable standard, re-inspections may be required. These will occur until standards are improved to an acceptable level.

Food businesses are invoiced for all re-inspections – the fees for re-inspections may be found in Council’s Schedule of Fees and Charges.

Breaches of the Food Act 2003 may be addressed by way of:

  • warning letter
  • penalty notice
  • court prosecution
  • seizure of items/equipment
  • Improvement Notice, and/or
  • Prohibition Order

The NSW Food Authority publishes a food safety offences register. It lists businesses that have breached, or alleged to have breached, NSW food safety laws. Publishing the lists gives consumers more information to make decisions about where they eat or buy food.

    For further information email council-publichealth@thehills.nsw.gov.au or contact Council's Health and Environment Protection Division on +61 2 9843 0555.

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