Food safety for community groups

The Food Act 1984 sets out the rules for selling food to ensure food bought and sold in Victoria is safe to eat. The Act covers what is done at a food premises whether it is a stall at a market, or community hall, a festival, a food van or a permanent site, like a sporting club.

Community Groups can hold sausage sizzles, cake stalls and a range of other activities to raise funds at fairs, fetes, and street stalls.

The risk of food becoming unsafe while you are doing these activities depends on the type of food, how it is transported to the venue, and where it is stored, prepared, and handled on the day.

Having rules that cover how to safely handle, store and prepare different types of food for sale is essential. The last thing you want is to make people sick.

If you are a community group or not-for profit body wanting to sell food in Victoria, please visit the Department of Health's Do Food Safely website.