All licensed food businesses (excluding Short Term Food Stalls and Domestic Water Carriers) within the Fraser Coast region will be issued with an Eat Safe star rating based on an Eat Safe Audit undertaken by Council.
The aim of the Eat Safe Fraser Coast Scheme is for Council to work with licensed food businesses to provide both assistance and incentives to achieve and maintain the highest standards in food safety.
Food businesses that demonstrate high levels of food safety will receive three or more stars and can choose to display their food safety rating onsite and on Council's website.
Only food businesses that give their consent will have their trading details (business name, location, phone number and licence category) listed on our website.
To find out more, please refer to the Eat Safe Fraser Coast Food Safety Rating Scheme.(PDF, 578KB)
Businesses star ratings
Food businesses who have rated 3 or more stars have the option to display their star rating as part of the Eat Safe Program.
Eat Safe Program - Business Star Rating(PDF, 104KB) to view the star ratings of local businesses who have opted in to have their food business displayed.
All licensed food businesses within the Fraser Coast region will be issued with a star rating based on an Eat Safe Audit undertaken by Council.
A food business can receive one of the following star ratings:
5 stars- Excellent Performer
Fully compliant with the Food Act 2006 and overall very high standard of food safety management practices.
4 stars- Very Good Performer
High level of compliance with the Food Act 2006 and overall good standard of food safety management practices.
3 stars- Good Performer
Good level of compliance with the Food Act 2006 and overall acceptable standard of food safety management practices.
2 stars- Poor Performer
Low level of compliance with the Food Act 2006 and a poor overall standard of food safety management practices.
No stars- Non-Compliant Performer
A general failure to comply with the Food Act 2006 with major effort required to rectify issues.
Only businesses that receive a 3-star rating or more can choose to publicly display their star rating.
There are a number of reasons why a food business may not display a star rating.
Reasons for not displaying a star rating
Eat Safe Fraser Coast only applies to food businesses that are required to hold a permanent food licence and are located within the Fraser Coast region.
A food business may not display a food safety star rating because that business has:
- received a food safety rating of less than three stars;
- received a food safety rating of three or more stars but has not agreed to have its star rating displayed;
- not paid the annual food licence fee to Council; or
- recently opened as a new business or changed owners and has not yet been audited.
To understand what is required to comply with the Food Act 2006 and the Food Safety Standards (FSANZ), food businesses can use the following:
A food business can receive either a no star, two, three, four or five-star rating.
Let your stars shine
Food businesses that achieve a 3, 4 or 5-star rating can choose to display their star rating at their premises and on Council's website.
To opt-in to display your Eat Safe Fraser Coast Star Rating, you will need to complete the Agreement to Display Food Safety Rating(PDF, 156KB) form and return this to Council. Upon receipt of a signed opt-in agreement, you will receive a star rating certificate to display at your food business.
For more information, please refer to the Let Your Stars Shine brochure.(PDF, 326KB)
Audits
All licensed food businesses will be audited in accordance with the Food Act 2006, the Food Standards Code, and good management practices.
In order to understand what is required to comply, food businesses should read the Food Safety Self-Assessment Checklist(PDF, 595KB) in conjunction with the Food Safety Made Easy guide.(PDF, 1MB)
It will also help your business work towards achieving a higher Eat Safe star rating.
Food safety performance details will be collected through the following methods:
- inspections and audits;
- discussions with staff;
- examination of documentation; and
- observation of business activities
Audit review
If you disagree with your star rating you can make a formal application for an audit review by completing an Eat Safe Audit/Reassessment Request Application form(PDF, 288KB) and submit to Council within ten (10) days from the date of the initial Eat Safe Audit.
Supporting documentation will be required and fees apply.
Good management practices
To achieve a 4 or 5-star rating, food businesses are also required to keep accurate records of good management practices.
The required templates are listed in Section B of the Food Safety Self-Assessment Checklist.(PDF, 595KB)
To help businesses document their management practices, Council has created record keeping templates(PDF, 2MB).
Improve your star rating
Businesses that have made improvements to their food safety management practices since their initial Eat Safety Audit, and want to improve their star rating, can lodge an Eat Safe Audit/Reassessment Request Application Form(PDF, 288KB) and request reassessment.
Fees will apply. The timeframe to lodge a reassessment application for a 3-star rating or more is after six (6) months.
Contact us
For more information, email eatsafefrasercoast@frasercoast.qld.gov.au or contact Council on 1300 79 49 29.
Below are forms, record templates, checklists and brochures to ensure your business maintains a high standard of food safety.
Contact us
For further information, email all enquiries to eatsafefrasercoast@frasercoast.qld.gov.au or contact Council on 1300 79 49 29.
What is Eat Safe Fraser Coast?
Every licensed food business (exclusing Short Term Food Stalls and Domestic Water Carriers) in the Fraser Coast region will be audited and given a star rating (No star, 2, 3, 4 or 5 stars) based on their compliance with the Food Act 2006, the Food Standards Code, and good management practices.
The aim of the Eat Safe Fraser Coast program is for Council to work with licensed food businesses to provide both assistance and incentives to achieve and maintain the highest standards in food safety.
What are the rating levels?
5 stars- Excellent Performer
Fully compliant with the Food Act 2006and overall very high standard of food safety management practices.
4 stars- Very Good Performer
High level of compliance with the Food Act 2006and overall good standard of food safety management practices.
3 stars- Good Performer
Good level of compliance with the Food Act 2006and overall acceptable standard of food safety management practices.
2 stars- Poor Performer
Low level of compliance with the Food Act 2006and a poor overall standard of food safety management practices.
No stars- Non-Compliant Performer
A general failure to comply with the Food Act 2006with major effort required to rectify issues.
What are the benefits?
There are a number of benefits to the Eat Safe Fraser Coast program including:
- Recognising and rewarding high-performing businesses;
- Providing consumers with confidence in the Fraser Coast’s food industry;
- Potential for annual fee savings; and
- Potential to reduce the frequency of Council’s audits for businesses that show good, very good and excellent food safety practices.
Does Eat Safe Fraser Coast affect food business licence fees?
Eat Safe Fraser Coast is designed to reward good food business operators and should mean no additional financial burdens for businesses.
Food businesses with a 3, 4 or 5 star rating will receive discounts on their licence fee if they maintain their star rating.
How will my food premises get its star rating?
Eat Safe Fraser Coast star ratings are determined from the findings of Council's Eat Safe Audit.
The star rating will give an indication of their compliance with the Food Act 2006, the Food Standards Code, and good management practices such as temperature records, cleaning schedules, etc.
The business will also have the option to display their star rating to customers.
What would the Eat Safe Audit involve?
The Eat Safe Audit will be very similar to past audits.
Council will discuss the results of the Eat Safe Audit, clarify any findings and provide further information as necessary. Immediately following the Eat Safe Audit, the food business will receive a copy of the Food Safety Audit Form and the Agreement to Display Food Safety Rating Form if applicable.
Food safety performance details will be collected through the following methods:
- inspections and audits;
- discussions with staff;
- examination of documentation; and
- observation of business activities.
How frequently would my food business be audited?
Audits will be conducted at a frequency aligned with the star rating. Very good and excellent performers will be subject to fewer audits. Businesses performing poorly will be audited more frequently.
Council may also conduct audits on a more frequent basis if complaints are received or if deemed necessary.
Can I improve my star rating?
Yes, you can. Businesses that have made improvements to their food safety management practices since their initial Eat Safe Audit and want to improve their star rating can lodge an Eat Safe Audit/Reassessment Request Application Form (and pay the associated fee) and request reassessment.
The timeframe to lodge a reassessment application is after six (6) months - for a three-star rating or more.
What if I disagree with my star rating?
You can apply to have your star rating reviewed and this must be requested on the Eat Safe Audit/Reassessment Request Application Form (and pay the associated fee) within ten (10) business days of the initial Eat Safe Audit.
Council will review the audit results and determine if the star rating should be revised.
Can I opt out of the Eat Safe Fraser Coast program?
No. Similar to current audits undertaken by Council, audits of all licenced food premises are mandatory.
All licensed food businesses will be issued with an Eat Safe star rating.
If you receive a star rating of 3 stars or more, you can choose to display your rating both onsite and on Council's website, however, you must sign the Agreement prior to receiving your Star Rating Certificate.
You can choose to remove your star rating from display at any time.
How can I find out about a particular food premises' rating?
Food businesses that achieve an overall rating of 3 stars or more can choose to have their star rating displayed at the business premises and on Council's website.
These ratings will be displayed online from April 2016.
What would happen to a two (2) or below star rated business?
A business that receives a star rating of 2 stars of below will be required to make improvements that ensure their business complies with theFood Act 2006, the Food Standards Code, and good management practices.
What happens to the star rating if a business changes ownership?
If a new owner buys a restaurant and a new legal entity takes over the business, which is usually the case, they would become a new licence holder and would be audited to receive their own star rating.
If the new owner just bought all the shares in the company and the same company ran the restaurant, the licence holder would not change and the rating would remain in place.