Food Sellers - Resources

Look through the following resources for practical advice and information on grading, training and safe food practices.

Improve Your Grading

When grading a food outlet, Health Officers consider the type of product, the size of the establishment and the operational systems in place. To improve your grading, you can:

provide a suitable cleaning programme
measure and record temperatures of display units, fridges and freezers and incoming stock
train at least half your staff in food safety
make sure all food is protected properly with perishable items kept either below 4°C or above 60°C.

If your premises shows a higher level of compliance than what's required by the Food Hygiene Regulations 1974, you can get an 'Excellent' grade. For more details, see:

Achieving Excellence in Food Safety (219Kb PDF)

Improve Your Food Handling

Tips for food businesses on how to prepare, cook and display food:

Food Safety for Lunch Bars, Takeaways and Cafés (53Kb PDF)

Contact details for training providers:

Food Safety Training Suppliers (71Kb PDF)

Cleaning

You can treat mildew with a diluted bleach solution. Spray it on, allow it to dry and wipe off with clean water.

Repainting with an enamel-based paint and coating the ceiling with a sealer is also recommended.

Use these information sheets to help you improve and maintain your grading:

Cleaning Plan Sample (20Kb PDF)
Cleaning Plan Blank (58Kb Doc)
Cleaning Schedule for Food Premises (58Kb PDF)
Cleaning Schedule - Chinese Translation (306Kb PDF)
Managing Trade Waste
Mildew and Condensation (42Kb PDF)
Sanitising in the Kitchen (15Kb PDF)
Sanitising in the Kitchen - Chinese Translation (63Kb PDF)

Pest Control

An infestation can spread rapidly if left unchecked. Keep a record of how it was treated and the name of the pest control operator.

Rats and Mice (51Kb PDF)

Grease Traps

Regular cleaning and maintenance of your grease traps is essential. The Council's Environmental Health Officers will visit you to make sure you are operating your grease trap properly.

Grease Traps Brochure (125Kb PDF)

There are two types of grease traps. One type is the passive grease trap which is usually outside your premises. It works by cooling down the waste water, causing the fats and oils to float to the surface.

Grease Trap Fact Sheet (94Kb PDF)

The other type is a mechanical grease separator which is usually kept under a bench in the kitchen. It uses a heater and a skimming wheel and works by skimming liquid fat from the surface of the waste water.

Grease Separator Fact Sheet (244Kb PDF)

Department Details:
Public Health (Building Consents & Licensing Services)