Why mobile food safety is different
A fixed cafe has a controlled kitchen environment — consistent refrigeration, reliable power, and a stable food preparation space. A food truck operates in none of those conditions. You're managing temperature control in a vehicle that may sit in 35°C summer heat, using a generator that can fail, and operating at events where cross-contamination risks are amplified by limited space and high throughput.
Your HACCP plan must reflect these realities. A generic food safety template written for a fixed premises will not address the specific hazards of mobile food service — and a NSW Food Authority inspector who understands mobile food operations will know immediately if your plan was written for a different business type.
Every mobile food vendor HACCP plan must address: transport temperature control, generator failure contingency, water supply and waste management, surface sanitisation between service periods, and council registration requirements for each operating location.
NSW council registration for food trucks
In NSW, food trucks must be registered with their home council as a food business under the Food Act 2003. If you operate at events in multiple council areas, you may also need to notify or register with those councils. The requirements vary between councils — some require a separate registration for each location, others accept a home council registration with notification.
AMES Food Advisory can guide you through the registration process, prepare the required documentation, and ensure your Food Safety Program meets the requirements of each council where you operate.
Temperature control on the road
Temperature control is the most critical food safety challenge for mobile vendors. Your HACCP plan must document how you maintain cold foods at or below 5°C and hot foods at or above 60°C throughout transport, setup, service, and pack-down.
Allergen management for food trucks
Food trucks often operate with limited space and shared equipment, making allergen cross-contact management particularly challenging. Your HACCP plan must document how you manage allergen requests when you cannot guarantee a completely allergen-free preparation environment — including what you communicate to customers and how.
Following the 2021 FSANZ amendments, sesame is now a mandatory major allergen. For food trucks serving Asian-inspired cuisine, Middle Eastern dishes, or any menu using sesame oil, tahini, or sesame-topped bread, a documented allergen management section is essential.
View our fixed-price packages or learn more about HACCP plan development.