All food businesses in Victoria, except for those selling low-risk, packaged food, must have a Food Safety Plan (FSP). The FSP is designed and implemented to assist in preventing and controlling unsafe or unsanitary conditions from the sale and handling of food.

Proprietors of food businesses must lodge with Council, either an Independent FSP or a Department of Human Services (DHS) approved Template FSP.
If a proprietor lodges an Independent FSP, the program and business must be audited by a third party, but is also subject to routine compliance assessments by Council.
For those businesses with a Template FSP, routine assessments are carried out by Council to ensure that the FSP is being appropriately implemented.

Before a new food premises opens or when a food premises transfers proprietorship, a new FSP must be lodged with Council prior to opening and the FSP must be implemented from the first day of trade.

The DHS template can be obtained by one any of the following ways:

1. FSP Templates can be purchased from the City's Health Services Unit in Geelong for a cost of $30.00.
2. The FSP Template hard copy can be downloaded free of charge at www.health.vic.gov.au/foodsafety
3. The FSP can be completed and lodged over the Internet, free of charge at www.foodsmart.vic.gov.au