Selling food from a home-based business
Before you open a food business from home, you must be registered under the Food Act 2001.
Home kitchens are only suitable for low-risk food preparation. There is an increased risk of food safety risk where high risk food is prepared.
Registrations will only be approved for home-based kitchens that produce low risk foods.
Low risk foods are shelf-stable and don't need to be stored in the fridge to make them safe.
This includes:
- biscuits
- cookies
- cooked cakes
- cupcakes
- muffins
- brownies
- cereals
- breads
- popcorn
- hard candies
- jam
- honey.
High risk foods you can't use
Potentially hazardous food and some higher risk shelf-stable food are usually not permitted in a home-based kitchen.
These types of food must be prepared in a commercial kitchen.
This includes:
- meat products
- fermented meats
- dairy products
- cooked rice or pasta
- chopped fruit or vegetables
- juices
- preserving in oil or brine
- cheese and gourmet platters
- relishes
- kombucha
- raw egg products
- seeded sprouts
- read to eat meals
- infant foods
- foods made for aged-care facilities.
For more information on potentially hazardous food, go to the Safe Food Australia Guide.
Icings, fillings and decorations
You can only use non-potentially hazardous icings, filling and decorations, such as:
- icing sugar
- fondant
- commercially produced shelf-stable ingredients (once open).
You can't use:
- cut fruit
- fruit purees
- cream
- custard
- curds.
If you want to use dairy, egg-based icings and ganache you may need to submit your recipe and laboratory results that demonstrate the product is shelf-stable.
Commercial kitchens from home
You can install and operate your business from a commercial kitchen at home when:
- you have the correct approvals – you should speak to regulators to avoid expensive mistakes and breaches of legislation
- the commercial kitchen is completely separate from the domestic kitchen.
It's also recommended you contact Icon Water before you install a commercial kitchen.
Commercial kitchens for hire are usually suitable but you'll need to to demonstrate the kitchen suits your needs and you can manage food safety risks.
Planning checklist
Before you submit your application, you must have:
1. Decided what food you want to make or sell.
2. Confirmed that a home-based domestic kitchen is suitable for that food.
3. Completed or started food safety supervisor training.
4. The right set-up and equipment.
- hand wash basin – this can be a single side of a double bowl kitchen sink or a separate sink
- dishwasher or double bow sink for washing and sanitising food contact surfaces
- a digital probe thermometer accurate to +/- 1o C if you store foods in the fridge
- food grade sanitiser
- food grade packaging materials.
5. Processes to prevent food contamination:
- a way to restrict pets from food handling and processing areas
- a way to restrict non-food business use of the kitchen when the kitchen is being used for handling food for sale
- dedicated storage to separate business food storage from personal food storage
- a way to transport food protected from contamination if transport is needed.
6. Product labels if you package food and sell it from a market staff, through an online retail store or to other businesses for sale.
7. A food recall plan if you sell your products to another business, or if you import and on-sell food products. Find out more about Food Recall.
8. A compliant market stall set up if you are selling food at markets.
How to apply
After you apply
A public health officer will organise an inspection of your kitchen.
More information
For more information on food safety go to:
Contact
Health Protection Service on 02 5124 9700 or hps@act.gov.au.