Registration
If you haven’t already, you need to register your business with the Food Safety Team.
Food safety procedures
Put together written food safety procedures
They should detail how you handle and prepare food to ensure it remains safe at all times. This is also referred to as a ‘food safety management system’.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) have put together a pack called the Safer Food Better Business (SFBB) pack.
The pack also includes retail packs and packs in others languages.
Alternatively, you can contact the Food Safety Team to buy a copy.
You may need to add information to the pack if the practices you carry out are not covered. For example fermenting, drying and curing. Ask the team for guidance sheets if you require further advice on this.
Allergens
You must have procedures in place to ensure customers have the correct allergen information about the food they buy.
This will include:
- Displaying a sign informing customers they can ask for allergen information.
- Having accurate allergy information available on request for all foods. You can use the allergy matrix to help with this.
- Undertaking Allergy Training, which will give staff an understanding of how to control unintentional cross-contamination of allergies.
You can download the following:
For Brighton & Hove City Council allergen training, send an email to trading.standards@brighton-hove.gov.uk or phone 01273 292 495.
Training
Complete food safety training
All food handling staff must read through the business’s food safety management system. Records of staff training should be kept. Watch some helpful videos.
In addition, all food handling staff in a management or supervisory role should also undertake formal food safety training.
There are a number of different companies that offer food safety training, we always recommended you use accredited ones.
Premise Structure - walls, floors, ceiling, doors, windows
The walls, floors, ceiling, doors, windows, woodwork and all other parts of the room where you handle food should be made of materials, or covered with a material, that is non-absorbent.
This material must be easy to clean, and, where necessary, disinfected. There are many different types of materials that can be used.
Food preparation surfaces
Food preparation surfaces must be easy to clean and, where necessary, disinfect. Surfaces to use include stainless steel, ceramics or food grade plastics.
Household melamine worktop is not recommended, as it does not last a long time in a commercial business.
Wash hand basins
All areas, where open food is handled, need a sink solely for hand washing.
Wash hand basins should be near to where you handle open foods. You will also need a separate sink in the toilets.
Each basin should be supplied with hot and cold running water (or a mixer tap), soap (liquid pump soap is best) and hand-drying e.g. paper towels, hot air dryer. The wash hand basin must be empty at all times and it must not be used for anything else.
Sinks
You require a sink to wash-up equipment, and ideally, a separate sink for washing food.
Drainage
All drainage facilities that take away waste water for example toilets, sinks and dishwashers should be properly connected to the foul drainage system.
Regular maintenance of the drainage system and good housekeeping practices can prevent excessive amount of fat, oil or grease entering the system. Always recycle your oil where possible. Suppliers are available by looking in your local directory.
Toilets should feed into the drainage system after the kitchen.
Ventilation
Adequate mechanical or natural ventilation is needed to remove grease, steam, smells, and dangerous combustive gases and provide a comfortable working environment.
The more cooking involved, the more likely you will require mechanical ventilation, with suitable fan, ducting and canopy.
Lighting
There should be enough lighting to all areas of a food premises. This is to allow good visibility when cleaning, working with food and checking for pests.
Glass lights should be protected with shatterproof covers in areas where open food is handled.
Disinfecting
Equipment and surfaces that come into contact with food must not only be cleaned, but also disinfected to reduce the spread of harmful germs. Disinfection can be carried out with a suitable chemical, steam or hot water (80°C and above).
Where raw meat, vegetables and ready to eat food is handled, the chemical disinfectant used must meet British Standards: EN 1276 or 13697.
Find a list of known chemical disinfectants that meet British Standards.
It is always important to follow the contact time detailed on the back of the bottle. A quick acting disinfectant (e.g. 30 seconds) is best.
Protective clothing
All staff working in food areas are required to wear clean protective clothing.
Protective clothing must be worn in areas where open food is handled to protect food from contamination. It must be clean, changed regularly and not be worn when outside the premises.
Your apron may need changing during the day when carrying out different tasks, such as after handling raw foods.
Pest control
All businesses must be free of pests.
Regular visual checks must be undertaken. You can also employ the services of a pest control company. You must make sure that any holes, cracks or gaps are covered or blocked to prevent access.
Waste management
All commercial waste and waste oil must be disposed of.
There should be sufficient bins in the food preparation areas to stop waste building up. External bins should also be provided with close fitting lids and be capable of being cleaned.
You must use a licensed waste carrier to remove refuse and recycling on a regular basis.
Food hygiene rating scheme
You can find information on:
Food hygiene inspection
Read enclosed guide, ‘Food Hygiene Inspection – What to Expect?’
Contact information
Food and Health and Safety Team
- Website: information on food hygiene and general health and safety matters.
- Email: ehl.food@brighton-hove.gov.uk
- Phone: 01273 29 44 16 or 01273 29 44 91
Licensing Team
- Website: information including alcohol and late-night food licenses.
- Email: ehl.safety@brighton-hove.gov.uk
- Phone: 01273 29 44 29
Trading Standards
- Website: information including allergens and food labelling matters.
- Email: trading.standards@brighton-hove.gov.uk
- Phone: 01273 292 523 and select option 2
Environmental Protection
- Website: information including on ventilation.
- Email: ehl.environmentalprotection@brighton-hove.gov.uk
- Phone: 01273 294 266
Planning
- Website: information including licences and building use.
- Email: planning.applications@brighton-hove.gov.uk
- Phone: 01273 29 22 22 between 2pm and 4pm, Monday to Friday