City of South Perth - Food Complaints

Food Complaints

Report food issues.

Last updated on: 27 February 2024

In this article

Food complaints
Food poisoning information
How do I know if I have food poisoning?
Reporting food poisoning concerns
Other food safety matters
Other information
Information for food businesses
Anonymous requests
Raise a request

Food complaints

The City will investigate complaints in relation to:

food contamination
food poisoning
food quality / labelling
food stalls

mobile food vehicle
unregistered food businesses
pests
premises cleanliness
staff hygiene

Please note this includes complaints about the premises cleanliness of lodging/boarding houses, including hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts and hostels.

Food poisoning information

Food poisoning is any illness caused by consuming 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 complete a stool sample examination (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.
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 or contaminated surfaces.
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.

How do I know if I have food poisoning?

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.

Reporting food poisoning concerns

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

the date and time the food of concern was eaten,
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),
list of all food consumed within the past 72 hours,
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 and
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.

Please note without an isolated bacteria type there are limitations to an investigation.

Other food safety matters

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

allergens or foreign objects in food
unhygienic food handling, storage, transport or preparation
unclean food premises
pests on food premises
incorrect or incomplete food labelling.

Other information

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 team 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.

Information for food businesses

Find out more information about food businesses on our website, including information relating to food safety.

Anonymous requests

This type of request cannot be anonymous.
Contact details are required when lodging this issue to ensure a proper investigation can be completed.
Personal information is not disclosed to any person without consent.

Raise a request

To report food issues, please raise a request below.
An officer will action a request within five (5) business 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.

Lodge a Food Complaint

If you have a food enquiry that is not a complaint as per above, then you can lodge the enquiry via the request below. An officer will respond within 10 business days.

Lodge a Food Enquiry

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