Food safety for food stalls at declared events

This page has information about food safety for stallholders at declared events.

Find out more about what you need to do to register your business for a declared event.

Public health officers may inspect your stall at anytime during the event and you will be asked to fix any issues that are non-compliant.

Talk to a public health officer

You can organise an information session about food safety with a public health officer before an event.  Phone 02 5124 9700 during business hours.

Setting up your stall

Stalls must be set up, provided with a hand wash basin and floor coverings before any food can be prepared, cooked or offered for sale.

All food stalls must have a roof and three sides and a floor covering.

Roof and walls

The roof and walls of the stall must be made of material that will protect all food and equipment from the weather, dirt and dust. It is important that the material is clean and can easily be cleaned for the duration of the event.

Suggested materials include:

• plastic sheeting or vinyl
• sealed, finished board.

Ground cover

A solid ground cover must be provided to allow for easy cleaning. Carpet is not to be used.

Suggested materials include:

• lino
• vinyl
• Any other washable surface.

Floor

The floor must be

• kept free of grease, food scraps, dirt and dust by regular cleaning.
• cleaned immediately if any food is spilt or dropped.

Benches and tables

All benches and tables must have a solid and smooth surface either made from laminated plastic or something similar that can be easily cleaned. Unsealed wood is not permitted. A personal item storage area must be allocated within the stall.

Hand washing facilities

All stalls must have hand washing facilities and they must be set up and accessible at all times.

• A container (minimum 20L capacity) to hold water must be provided. It must also have a tap attached.
• A container must be provided to catch water from the tap/container. This should be emptied regularly.
• Hands must be washed directly under the tap.
• Liquid soap, disposable paper towels and a bin for used towels must be provided.
• Hand sanitiser is not permitted as a substitute for hand washing facilities.
• You must have access to water to refill hand washing facilities.

Public health officers will stop the sale and preparation of food until adequate hand washing facilities are set up and available for use.

Hand washing

Hands must be washed and thoroughly dried on a regular basis and always before preparing or handling food.

Hands must be washed after any of the following activities:

• visiting the toilet
• handling garbage
• coughing or sneezing
• returning to the stall after any break
• handling money
• cleaning equipment
• eating
• touching your hair, face or scratching any part of your body.

Food storage

It is essential that certain foods are stored at the correct temperature. Cold foods must be kept at 5°C or below and hot foods must be kept at 60°C or above.

Foods that require temperature control include:

• milk and dairy products
• raw meat and seafood
• prepared vegetable and meat dishes
• cooked rice, pasta and similar items.

Public health officers can seize and destroy food that is found to be stored, prepared or handled incorrectly.

It is suggested that you have access to a portable cool room to store foods that need to be kept cold (refrigerated foods). Eskies with ice or refrigerators are acceptable as long as they can keep the food at 5°C or below.

If ice is being used it must be replaced regularly to ensure that foods are kept at the correct temperature.

Food that is to be served hot to the customer must be stored at or above 60°C.

It is recommended a bain marie is used to achieve this.

Food must not be stored on the ground unless it is in a food grade plastic or metal container with a tight-fitting lid. Containers must be covered at all times.

Food preparation

All dairy and meat products and food that is required to be kept under temperature control must be prepared on-site or in a commercial kitchen. This includes marinating, freezing and preparation of any sort.

Low-risk, non-potentially hazardous foods may be prepared in a home kitchen and transported to the site. This includes plain cakes, biscuits and bread. No dairy products such as creams or custards are to be used.

Approval must be sought from the Health Protection Service for home cooking.

If food has been prepared in a commercial kitchen a copy of the current food business registration certificate must be available onsite.

All food is to be prepared undercover, inside the stall. Food should not be cooked in open or uncovered areas.

Food must not be cooked on the floor. All cooking equipment must be on suitable tables.

All food, cooked or raw, must be covered at all times to protect it against dust and flies.

All condiments such as sauce and mustard must be in squeeze type dispensers or in individually sealed packs.

Sauces must not be in open containers with serving spoons.

Food display

Chilled food must be displayed chilled (5°C or below) and hot food must be displayed hot (60°C or above) to prevent the growth of bacteria.

Freshly cooked or prepared batches of food must be placed in clean containers. Do not ‘top up’ containers.

Food on display or being cooked

Public health officers will direct you to move all cooking equipment under cover.

Barbeques, saucepans and all cooking equipment must be set back from customer service areas and located within the stall. All food must be cooked under a cover.

Customers should not be able to touch food or talk, sneeze, or cough over food.

Food on display must be protected from contaminates at all times. Sneeze guards, lids or plastic wrap must be used.

General hygiene

• Do not prepare or handle food if you are unwell.
• Hair must be tied back at all times.
• No jewellery is to be worn by anyone handling or preparing food (including wristbands).
• Individuals preparing or handling food must not handle any money. An individual should be specifically assigned to handle money.
• Gloves must be worn over any waterproof wound dressing.
• No smoking in the stall.
• Staff are not permitted to eat within the stall.
• Only disposable plates and cutlery are to be used and they must be protected from contamination from dust, flies and customers.
• Disposable cutlery cannot be washed and reused.
• Drinking straws must not be displayed in open containers. They must be fully enclosed single serve containers.
• All food must be protected against contamination by animals.
• Animals must not have access to the stall.

Thermometers

Public health officers will instruct you to stop selling food until you have a digital probe thermometer.

• Each stall must have a food grade digital probe thermometer accurate to +/- 1°C.
• Milk and meat thermometers are not acceptable.
• Thermometers must be able to check cold and hot temperatures (range from 0°C to 100°C).
• All food temperatures should be checked regularly to ensure temperature control is being maintained. This includes stored food and food on display.
• The thermometer probe should be washed and sanitised before each use and between different foods.
• The thermometer must be accessible and available to all staff at all times.

Temperature logs

Temperature logs must be kept for all potentially hazardous food prepared before and during the. Regular temperature checks during transport, storage and display of food must be done and recorded in the log.

Potentially hazardous foods, such as dairy, meat, salads, cooked rice, need to be kept at certain temperatures to minimise the growth of bacteria that can cause illness.

To keep potentially hazardous food safe, it is important to keep hot food at 60^oC or above and cold food at 5^oC or below.

You can use the temperature log to help monitor the temperature of all potentially hazardous food prepared before and after the event.

Download the temperature log template.

Seizure and disposal of food

Any food found to be out of temperature control, at risk of contamination or a risk to the public will be disposed of on site or seized by a public health officer.

Equipment and utensils

• Appropriate cooking equipment must be used to store, cook and display food.
• Spare utensils should be available in case the one in use is dropped on the floor or misplaced.
• Broken or damaged equipment, containers or utensils are not to be used.
• All fridges used must be able to maintain food at 5^oC or below.

Waste disposal

Wastewater and oil must not be disposed of via storm water drains.

Each stall must have a suitable garbage bin which has tight fitting lids and internal plastic liners.

When leaving the site, all garbage must be removed and the area must be left in a clean and tidy condition.

Oil must be disposed of correctly, contained in a sealed container and removed from the site.

Equipment washing facilities if washing onsite

Facilities for washing equipment must be provided separately from hand washing facilities.

• A suitable container (minimum capacity 20L) with a tap attached must be provided.
• The facility must have the ability to heat water (hot water must be provided during washing).
• A bowl that is large enough to adequately wash utensils and equipment must also be provided.