Department of Health

The Food Act 1984

Key messages

  • The Victorian Food Act 1984 (the Act)and the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code regulate the sale of food in Victoria.
  • Local government and the Department of Health administer the Act.
  • A key object of the Act is to ensure that all food sold in Victoria is safe to eat.

The Act is the key legislation that regulates the sale of food in Victoria.

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

The purpose of the Act is to:

  • set out offences for breaches of the food laws and the applicable penalties and defences
  • provide the means through which the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code is applied as the law in Victoria
  • establish a food premises classification system and enforcement powers, including emergency powers to deal with immediate threats to public health
  • provide the means through which local councils register food businesses as defined by the Act.

The Food Act 1984 can be found at the Victorian Legislation websiteExternal Link .

Reviewed 05 August 2022

Health.vic

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More information

Contact details

Food Safety Unit

Phone 1300 364 352
foodsafety@health.vic.gov.au
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