City of Canning - Food complaints

Food complaints

Report food issues.

Last updated on: 08 June 2022

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Food poisoning is any illness caused by eating food or drink that is contaminated with certain types of bacteria, parasites, viruses or toxins.
Symptoms can vary from mild to severe. Some people are more at risk of getting food poisoning than others. This includes the elderly, young children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.
In cases of suspected food borne illness, it is strongly advised that you visit your doctor/medical practitioner and request a stool sample (to confirm) and retain a sample of the offending food product where possible.

Symptoms

The symptoms of food poisoning vary depending on the cause of the illness after eating contaminated food (incubation period).
The symptoms of food poisoning are often the same as the symptoms of viral gastro which is more often due to contact with another ill person (person to person spread) or contaminated surfaces.
People often blame the last meal they ate before they became ill but this is often not the case.
Illness can occur within an hour to many days and weeks after you eat contaminated food, depending on the type of bacteria in the food.

Diagnosis must be made by a medical professional. See your doctor or go to a hospital if you suspect you have food poisoning.
If you suspect you have food poisoning consult your doctor, especially if you have severe symptoms. It is particularly important for vulnerable people (e.g. elderly or young children) to receive immediate medical attention.
Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. Dehydration is especially dangerous for babies and the elderly.
Do not handle or prepare food for others until you are symptom free for 48 hours. This will prevent you from infecting others.
If you must handle food, wash your hands with soap and warm water and dry thoroughly to prevent cross-contamination.
If you work in food handling you are legally required to notify your employer. You must not handle food at work until you have been symptom free for 48 hours.

The City's Environmental Health officers investigate food safety concerns. The following information is needed to investigate your request:

when was the food of concern eaten (date and time)?
the name and full street address of the food business or event where you ate the food of concern
the symptoms of anyone who has become ill and when they first started to feel unwell
details of the product - identify the food or foods you think have made you unwell, along with other foods eaten at the same time (including dips and sauces)
if packaged food includes package codes and date markings, photos of the labels may be requested
receipts of purchase, if available
advise if there is any leftover food, as sometimes this may need to be tested if an officer determines this is warranted
confirm if you, or anyone who has become ill, sought medical attention and submitted faecal specimens to a GP. To confirm food poisoning, a stool sample from a patient is required to be submitted to a GP. This is to isolate the particular bacteria that may have caused the illness. This is necessary to assist with testing food samples for specific bacteria that has been isolated in a stool sample.
Without an isolated bacteria type there are limitations to an investigation.

The City will investigate other food safety matters including the following:

Samples

Samples submitted to the City form part of a health related investigation for the protection of the public and is not related to financial compensation.
Compensation is a civil matter between you and the food provider.
The City does not get involved with any correspondence or negotiations associated in this regard.
Members of the public are advised to obtain their own independent legal advice on such matters.

Food premises inspections

The City's Environmental Health Service regularly conducts unannounced inspections of all food premises operating within the district, however they cannot be everywhere all the time and do rely on members of the public to report issues to the City.
If you have food safety concerns, please lodge a request below.

This type of request cannot be anonymous.
Contact details are required when lodging this issue to ensure a proper investigation can be completed. It also provides the City with the ability to clarify information to ensure officers have a safe working environment.
Personal information is not disclosed to any person without consent.

To report food issues, please select the appropriate button below.
An officer will action a request within five (5) working days. This includes contacting you to clarify the nature of the complaint, checking on any possible safety risks for City staff and explaining the complaint process.
Your contact details are required when lodging this issue to ensure a proper investigation can be completed.