How we ensure food is safe
Officers from the Food and Safety team ensure food safety in several ways:
- Assessing the standard of premises where food is prepared
- Monitoring the processes used to prepare food
- Providing free advice to food businesses about premises, equipment or processes
- Training and educating food handlers
- Using the law to require food businesses to improve their premises or processes
- Using the law to prohibit food premises or processes used.
Our powers
When businesses breach food law, officers have powers to serve notice on business owners. They can also prohibit processes or the use of unsatisfactory equipment or in extreme cases close premises.
Inspections are planned using a priority system, which is based on the potential risk posed by the nature of the operation carried out by the business.
High-risk businesses include hospital kitchens, food manufacturers and processors, butchers' shops and large catering establishments.
Low risk premises include small retailers of packaged foods.
Most food businesses are of a medium or low risk.
Find out if a local food business has a good hygiene rating from the Food Standards Agency.
Allergen labelling
Food business operators in the retail and catering sector are required to provide allergen information and follow labelling rules as set out in food law.
Food business operators must:
- provide allergen information to the consumer for both prepacked and non-prepacked food and drink
- handle and manage food allergens effectively in food preparation
Find out more on the FSA website.