Food safety and hygiene includes inspection of food premises, rating premises within the FSA's food hygiene rating scheme, investigation of food poisoning incidence, investigation of food related complaints, and sampling of food products and private water supplies in commercial premises.
We give advice to new and existing businesses where they are opening or making improvements to enable them to comply with current legislation. We also provide a range of guidance leaflets and documents to businesses on subjects such as staff training and management systems.
Use the drop down menu below to access information for food businesses to assist them in complying with their legal duties.
You must also maintain food hygiene procedures and ensure you have a supply of soap for hand washing and antibacterial cleaner to enable you to clean and sanitise your preparation surfaces.
The supply of cleaning products such as liquid hand-wash and chemical sanitisers has, in some instances, been affected by a high level of demand from businesses and consumers. It is important that, where food businesses remain operational, they ensure that they have a reasonable supply of:
Hot water is, of course, essential; especially for washing hands. The need for sanitising hand rubs is less important as the emphasis remains with effective and regular hand-washing; using liquid hand soap and running water.
Do not forget to regularly sanitise all hand-contact surfaces and any equipment that customers come into contact with.
Guidance regarding how to clean effectively can be found via the links below:
Guidance for community cooking and food banks can be viewed at www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/food-safety-for-community-cooking-and-food-banks.
Guidance for safe food delivery can be viewed at www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/food-safety-for-food-delivery.
The following checklist highlights the essential labelling-related requirements for safely and legally redistributing surplus food, and the additional requirements when freezing food to be redistributed. Read in full at wrap.org.uk.
You have responsibilities to ensure food handlers are fit for work under food hygiene regulations and you have a general duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of persons in your employment and members of the public.
Relevant staff must be provided with clear instructions on any infection control policy in place, and any person so affected and employed in a food business and who is likely to come into contact with food is to report immediately the illness or symptoms, and if possible their causes, to the food business operator.
People who work around open food while suffering from certain infections (mainly from bacteria and viruses) can contaminate the food or surfaces the food may come into contact with. This can spread infection to other people through the food.
Diarrhoea and/or vomiting are the main symptoms of illnesses that can be transmitted through food, so staff handling food or working in a food handling area must report these symptoms to management immediately.
Managers must exclude staff with these symptoms from working with or around open food, normally for 48 hours from when symptoms stop naturally however, different action is required in some cases, as explained in section 9 the food handlers - fitness to work guidance.
In addition, all staff who handle food and who work around open food must always wash and dry their hands before handling food, or surfaces likely to come into contact with food, especially after going to the toilet because it is possible to be infected but not have symptoms.
All foods must be delivered to consumers in a way that ensures that they do not become unsafe or unfit to eat. To help ensure such activities are carried out safely, we recommend the following procedures are implemented:
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) have provided advice for business – 'How to manage a food business if you sell products online, for takeaway or for delivery'.
Ensure your food safety management system for example your safer food better business pack, available at www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/safer-food-better-business is updated to include deliveries and any other changes you have made to your business to ensure the food you serve is safe.
Contact the team directly on 01773 841335 or email foodsafety@ambervalley.gov.uk
