Wyndham City - Food Safety-Related Complaints

Food Safety-Related Complaints

Find information about lodging food safety-related complaints, including how to report issues with food businesses and the council's investigation process.

Last updated on: 09 September 2025

In this article

Food poisoning information for community
Food poisoning information for business
Food samples
Food premises inspections
Reporting food poisoning concerns
Anonymous requests
Raise a request

The Council will investigate complaints in relation to:

Hygiene and cleanliness issues
Suspected food poisoning
Suspected allergen contamination
Foreign objects and materials found in food
Food labelling issues
Suspected unregistered food business
Wastewater and grease trap issues
Pest activity issues

Food poisoning information for community

What is food poisoning

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 foodborne 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.

Food poisoning symptoms

The symptoms of food poisoning vary depending on the cause of the illness after eating contaminated food. Common symptoms can include nausea, stomach cramps, diarrhoea, vomiting, fever and headaches. The symptoms of food poisoning are often the same as those 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 becoming ill, but this is usually not true.
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.

Diagnosing food poisoning

A medical professional must make the diagnosis. See your doctor or go to a hospital if you suspect you have food poisoning.
If you suspect food poisoning, consult your doctor, especially if you have severe symptoms. Vulnerable people (e.g. elderly or young children) must 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 must notify your employer. You must not handle food at work until you have been symptom-free for 48 hours.

Food poisoning information for business

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

Food samples

Samples submitted to Wyndham 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.
Wyndham City does not get involved with any correspondence or negotiations in this regard.
Members of the public are advised to obtain their independent legal advice on such matters.

Food premises inspections

The Wyndham City Public and Environmental Health team regularly conducts unannounced inspections of all food premises operating within the municipality; however, they cannot be everywhere and rely on members of the public to report issues to the Council.
If you have food safety concerns, please go ahead and lodge a request below.

Reporting food poisoning concerns

Wyndham City 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.
Confirm if you, or anyone who has become ill, sought medical attention and submitted faecal specimens to a GP. To confirm food poisoning, a patient's stool sample must be submitted to a GP. This is to isolate the particular bacteria that may have caused the illness. This is necessary to test food samples for specific bacteria isolated in a stool sample.
Please note: Without an isolated bacteria type, there are limitations to an investigation.

Anonymous requests

Contact details are highly recommended when lodging this issue to ensure a proper investigation can be completed. It also allows Wyndham City to clarify information to ensure officers have a safe working environment.
If you do not provide contact details, any action taken by Wyndham City regarding this concern may be limited.
Personal information is not disclosed to any person without consent.

Raise a request

Submit the request below to report any issues related to food safety.

An officer will action your request within five (5) working days. This includes contacting you to clarify the nature of the complaint, checking on any possible safety risks for Council staff and explaining the complaint process.

Food complaint

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