Food is the most regulated thing a small business commonly sells, and the requirements apply whether you run a restaurant, a bakery from home, a food truck, a spaza, or a stall at a market.

The good news is that the standard is practical rather than exotic. Almost all of it is about keeping food at the right temperature, keeping it clean, and being able to show that you do.

The certificate of acceptability

This is the document that matters. It is issued by the environmental health department of the local municipality and it certifies that the premises are acceptable for handling food. Handling food for sale without one is an offence, and it is the first thing an inspector asks for.

It attaches to the premises and to the person operating from them. It does not transfer with a sale of the business as a matter of course, and it does not travel with you if you move.

What an inspection looks at

  • Handwashing. A dedicated basin, with running water, soap and a way to dry hands, separate from where food or equipment is washed.
  • Surfaces and finishes. Smooth, cleanable, in good repair. Not porous, not cracked, not bare timber.
  • Cold chain. Refrigeration that holds temperature, with a thermometer, and ideally a written record of checks.
  • Separation. Raw and ready-to-eat kept apart, in storage and in preparation.
  • Waste. Covered bins, removed regularly, kept away from food areas.
  • Pests. Sealed openings, no evidence, and a control arrangement where it applies.
  • Water. Potable supply, and adequate hot water.
  • Staff. Clean protective clothing, and basic understanding of hygiene.

Working from home

Home kitchens can be certified, and many small food businesses start exactly there. The inspection standard does not soften because it is a house, and the practical difficulty is usually separation — a domestic kitchen doing family cooking and commercial production in the same space is hard to certify.

Zoning is the other half. A home food business may need consent to operate from residential premises, particularly once there are deliveries, staff or customers arriving.

Markets and events

A stall still requires the food to be handled properly, and the organiser will usually ask for your certificate before allocating a space. Where you prepare off-site and sell on-site, the preparation premises are what gets certified.

Transport is the part people miss: food moved between the kitchen and the stall has to stay at temperature the whole way, and an inspector at an event may well ask how.

Labelling and allergens

Packaged food carries labelling requirements — ingredients, allergens, dates, and the details of the responsible party. If you are selling anything sealed rather than serving it fresh, look into this specifically before you print anything.

The habit that keeps you certified

Write things down. Fridge temperatures, cleaning done, deliveries received and their condition. It takes a minute a day, it is the first thing asked for when something goes wrong, and a business that can produce records is treated very differently from one that cannot.

General guidance, not legal advice. Food safety and labelling requirements are detailed and change; confirm the current position with your local environmental health department.