Inspections
Food hygiene inspections are conducted to:
- ensure that food is being handled and produced hygienically
- ensure that food is safe to eat
- look at the potential risk for food poisoning or injury as a result of food consumption
- ensure that the food handling staff are trained in food hygiene and handling practices
- inspect the condition of equipment and the premises
- ensure there are precautions to prevent pest infestation
The food safety team are responsible for the enforcement of the Food Safety Act 1990. This involves the inspection and enforcement of hygiene standards in all food premises registered within the borough by authorised officers. Routine visits are made to premises ranging from the smallest individual trader to large multinationals, from mobile food hawkers to national suppliers of manufactured foods.
The frequency of inspections depends on the level of risk associated with the type of premises and its past record.
High-risk premises include restaurants, take-aways, cafes, public houses serving food, nursing and residential care homes, schools, bakeries, butchers, supermarkets, hospitals and mobile caterers.
Other risk premises include newsagents, small grocery stores,
pharmacies, small post offices, off-licences and garages.
What happens during an inspection?
Inspectors will look at the operation of a food business
to identify potential hazards and to ensure they are following the
law. If problems are identified during the inspection, inspectors
can take enforcement action to protect the public. This can
include:
- taking samples and photographs of food and inspecting business records
- writing to the proprietor informally, asking them to rectify any problems
- serving an 'improvement notice' if the proprietor is breaking the law, which clearly states what the problem/offence is, what must be done to put it right and the time period for compliance. Failure to comply with the notice is an offence which will normally result in a prosecution
- serving an 'emergency prohibition notice' which forbids the use of premises or equipment
- recommending a prosecution in serious cases
If a prosecution is successful, the court may prohibit the business from using certain processes, premises or equipment, or the offender could be banned from managing a food business. It could also lead to a fine or imprisonment.