Starting a food business can leave you in a tangle of red tape, unless you know where to start. We’ve outlined the process below and highlighted some things to consider, as well as signposting useful links for the new food business owner.
First things first: Food Business registration
If you are not already registered as a food business, or you are taking over an existing food business from someone else, you must register online with your local authority, before you start trading. It is against the law to trade as a food business without registration – but making yourself known to your local authority gives you access to your local food safety team (including EHOs) who can be a valuable source of support and information when you are setting up.
Food business registration is required by any business which
You will also need to go through the legal process for setting up any kind of business, if you haven’t already done so. Check out the UK Government website, Business Wales, or NI Business Info for details of how to do this. The UK.Gov page also gives details of permits and licences required for mobile food businesses or street trading.
Premises and Facilities
You will need to demonstrate that you have suitable premises and facilities to be able to prepare food safely, including the following:
Premises must be clean, in good repair, and suitable for safe food preparation – for example, secure from pests. Provision must be made for waste disposal that does not encourage pests.
The physical space must be suitable for food preparation, including walls, ceilings and surfaces that are easy to keep clean, without peeling paint or other potential contaminants. Light and ventilation must be adequate.
You must have adequate, separate provision for handwashing, including hot water, and suitable areas for changing into clean work clothes. There must also be adequate facilities for equipment, crockery and cutlery washing and disinfection, and equipment must be in good working order.
For a more complete list of the expectations for premises and facilities, check the FSA’s Setting up a Food Business page
Food Safety
One of a food business operator’s fundamental legal responsibilties is to ensure that their food is safe to eat. Food safety encompasses a range of measures, including:
Creating and using a Food Safety Management, or HACCP, plan. This is a written plan that is used to risk assess, manage and record food preparation processes, from cleaning schedules and supplier records to temperature monitoring and stock rotation.
Being aware of the risks and laws surrounding Food Allergens, and ensuring customers can consume your food without risk of harm from allergenic ingredients.
Managing suppliers, ensuring that they are committed to providing you with food that is safe to eat and ensuring that all of your ingredients can be traced back to their original source.
Ensuring that you and your staff are adequately trained and / or supervised, understand all elements of good food hygiene practice, including how to deal with allergens, and can undertake all necessary tasks in a way which eliminates the risks of unsafe food. Make sure that any training that you undertake is designed for the correct level and staff role – for example, Level 2 Food Hygiene and Allergen training for all food handlers, or those running a very simple food operation, and Level 3 Food Hygiene for those in a managerial or supervisory role. A reputable training provider will be able to supply you with a syllabus and sample of learning material, so you can check it is right for your needs.
Click here for the FSA’s comprehensive list of your food safety responsibilities
The list above may seem daunting, but one really key point to remember, is that there are many resources available to help you. If you have any doubts about setting up and running your food business, seek out advice from your local authority food safety team, and your Environmental Health Officer. They will help you to operate safely, legally and, if you get things right, will be able to award you that all important 5 star rating – good luck!
Hotel buffets present specific food safety and hygiene challenges. As outlined by the Food Standards Agency, these can include temperature control, cross-contamination, and allergen management. To mitigate these risks, hotels must implement a comprehensive food safety management system that includes regular staff training, clear standard operating procedures, and robust monitoring and record-keeping protocols. This should also include measures such as regularly checking and maintaining food storage and display equipment, providing allergen information for all dishes, and ensuring that all food is properly cooked, stored, and labelled.
Hotels should consider implementing additional measures to address the specific challenges of buffet service, including regular temperature checks to avoid prolonged exposure to ambient temperatures. When we look at the specific risks hotel buffets can present in regards to food safety, there are also possible mitigations for these risks:
Hotel buffets often have shared serving utensils and dishes, which can lead to cross-contamination between different foods – especially from high risk to lower risk foods. For example, if a guest uses the same utensil to serve both chicken and vegetables, it could potentially contaminate the vegetables with harmful bacteria. If the chicken has not been properly prepared, then any danger presented by harmful bacteria will be more widely spread.
Hotels can implement separate utensils and serving tools for different dishes, especially for allergen-free options or to accommodate other dietary requirements. They can also provide clear labels for all dishes and ensure staff are trained on proper handling and cleaning techniques.
Buffet food must be kept at the correct temperature to prevent the growth of bacteria that can cause food-borne illnesses. Hot food at buffets must be kept at 63℃ or above. If this is not possible, you can remove food from hot holding and display it for up to two hours, but only once. Food not used within two hours should be reheated until steaming hot and returned to hot holding, or chilled as quickly as possible to 8°C or below. Throw it away if it has been out for more than two hours. Do not mix new food with food already on display - this could result in older food being left out for an extended period.
When displaying cold food, such as on a buffet, use suitable chilled display equipment to keep it at 8°C or below. Alternatively, food can be displayed out of chilled storage for up to four hours, but only once. Check food temperature regularly and keep accurate records to monitor the time spent on display. Food must be consumed within four hours or be thrown away if it has been out for more than four hours. If the food is not stored at the correct temperature or is left out for too long, pathogenic bacteria can reproduce to dangerous levels.
Hotels can use hot holding equipment that maintains food temperature at 63℃ or above, or chilled display equipment to keep food at 8℃ or below to limit pathogenic growth. They can also regularly monitor the temperature of the buffet and the food items, and discard any items that have been left out for over 2 hours for hot food, and 4 hours for chilled food.
The hygiene of the staff preparing and serving the food is also critical. They must follow proper hand washing protocols to prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses, with designated hand washing areas and sinks.
Hotels should ensure that staff are properly trained on safe food handling techniques and that they wear gloves where appropriate and hairnets and beardnets when handling food. They can also regularly check the hygiene of the staff and encourage them to wash their hands frequently.
Buffets can also pose a risk to guests with food allergies. If a guest accidentally consumes an allergen due to cross-contamination or improper labelling, it could result in a severe allergic reaction.
Hotels can provide separate serving tools, dishes and utensils for allergen-free options. They can also ensure that all dishes are properly labelled with any allergens present and that staff are trained on how to handle allergen requests and questions. Additionally, they can consider offering pre-packaged options for guests with severe allergies.
At The Safer Food Group, we work closely with hospitality businesses to help them develop the skills they require to design and implement robust food safety management systems that meet legal requirements and industry best practices. With the right systems in place, hotels can provide their guests with a safe and enjoyable dining experience while protecting their reputation and ensuring compliance with food safety regulations.
October 2021 marked significant changes in food labelling legislation throughout the uK. The introduction of Natasha’s Law, in response to the tragic death of Natasha Ednan-Laprouse, imposed additional labelling requirements onto foods classified as PPDS – pre-packed for direct sale.
One year on, have these changes led to an improved situation for customers? YouGov research suggests that almost two thirds of consumers are still unaware of the stricter rules now followed by food outlets. More significantly, 45% of respondents to the survey said that lack of confidence in food handlers’ allergy awareness prevented them from buying food from certain outlets.
For instance, do the latest legislative amendments apply to your business? PPDS is food that is produced and packed on site for later sale, so your Hallowe’en range might introduce items such as pre-packed cakes and biscuits, wrapped toffee apples, and sweet cones. Do you know how to label these foods, and how this differs to other food in your range? Take time to understand your legal duties and make sure you’re fulfilling them in your business
Don’t wait for a customer to ask you about allergens – ask them first. Some customers, especially younger or less confident ones, may hesitate to ask, even if they know they have a specific allergy. Giving them an opportunity to tell you about allergies increases their confidence in your professional approach to food safety management.
Allergens can be a scary subject. Getting it wrong can be fatal, so it’s no wonder some food handlers are not confident about talking to customers about their needs. Help your team out by getting them properly trained – a Level 2 course will give them the fundamental understanding of allergenic ingredients and how to deal with them, as well as equipping them with the skills needed to communicate with customers. Level 3 training is suitable for supervisors required to risk assess their food business, and implement suitable systems, processes and communication methods, to ensure they are both legally compliant AND safe for customers with allergies.
When you understand allergenic ingredients and how to deal with them in your business, it’s not such a spooky subject! Let’s keep everyone safe this Hallowe’en and beyond.
Learning about a range of new foods is great for the development of young bodies and brains but exploring safely should always be first priority.
There are some really well known food safety tips for under 5s, including:
- Cut small fruits such as grapes, berries and tomatoes lengthways, then into quarters
- Steam or boil firm vegetables like carrots, yams or broccoli
- Remove bones from meat and fish
- Don’t give whole nuts
But did you know that foods that foods such as bread, jelly and marshmallows could also could create choking hazards? We’ve created the free ‘Guide to Early Years Catering’, for advice about safe foods for little ones, nutrition for under 5s, menu planning and much more.
Everyone knows the 5 second rule – as long as you pick it up in less than 5 seconds, it’s safe to eat food you’ve dropped on the floor.
Let’s set this one straight – that’s outrageous! Good food hygiene is all about keeping dangerous pathogens out of the food we eat. And however hard we try, no-one’s floor is genuinely so clean you could eat your dinner off it. So, don’t rely on the 5 second rule.
There are lots of great rules you can use in your kitchen though. It’s worthwhile knowing the key facts and figures; and if you work in a commercial kitchen, you’ll need to work these into your HACCP plan.
Some effective rules are:
For more info, have a look at our Level 2 HACCP course, and learn about setting up a Food Safety Management System for your kitchen
What’s the most deadly tool you use in your kitchen?
Kitchen knife? No
Mandolin? It’s tricky to handle, but no.
The kitchen mixer with the dodgy electrical cable? We don’t recommend using this one – but it’s not as deadly as….
Your mobile phone!
Repeated studies have shown that most mobile phones carry a zoo full of germs, including nasties such as Streptococcus, Staphylococcus and E.coli. But we scroll without thinking in between cooking tasks, running the risk that we spread these pathogens through our food to the people we cook for.
Ideally, to cut the risk of cross-contamination, keep your mobile phone out of the kitchen, but if that doesn’t work, make sure you wash your hands thoroughly every time you pick it up. To learn more about the hidden dangers lurking in your kitchen, have a look at our Level 2 Food Hygiene Course
With rising food costs and threats of supply issues, we’re all becoming increasingly aware of food waste. So making best use of your freezer makes good sense.
But what are the rules on freezing food? What are the deadlines you must stick to in order to keep food safe?
Freezing food prolongs its use by pausing the effects of harmful bacteria – most bacteria cannot be destroyed by the freezing process. Use-by dates indicate food safety; a product that has passed its use-by date could already be unsafe to eat so you cannot freeze food after the use-by date has passed.
When freezing foods, use information on the product label to work out how long it can be frozen. Defrost in the fridge, then cook thoroughly using safe times and temps and eat within 24 hours. Have a look at our Level 2 Food Hygiene course for more info about the rules for cooking safely
The UK Food Information Amendment – Natasha’s Law – will come into force in October 2021. An important development in helping prevent the serious effects of food allergies, this law deals with labelling products that have been packed on premises ready for sale. It was brought into force to strengthen the 2014 Food Information to Consumers legislation, and followed a period of dedicated campaigning by the parents of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who tragically lost her life after eating a sandwich containing the allergen sesame. At the time, foods prepared in house and packaged for later sale were not required to be labelled individually.
Natasha’s law applies to any business that is preparing, packing and then later selling food from the same premises, or food that is packed and then sold from a mobile stall or vehicle. This includes: cafes and coffee shops, takeaway and fish & chip restaurants, sandwich shops, farm shops, as well as work, school and hospital canteens. Voluntary and charity organisations who undertake fundraising events such as bake sales will also need to consider how they package their goods and whether they need to apply the new rules.
Natasha’s law was created in September 2019, and comes into force in October 2021 throughout the UK.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland authorities have confirmed that the law will be adopted throughout the whole of the UK from October 2021.
Any food which is Pre-Packed for Direct Sale (PPDS); that means prepared in-house, wrapped or placed in packaging, ready for the customer. This includes food that customers select themselves, as well as pre-wrapped items, kept behind a counter.
Examples of PPDS items include:
For further help, use this tool created by the FSA.
All PPDS products will need to be clearly labelled with the name of the food and a full list of all ingredients. Any named allergens (from the 14 named allergens list) must be highlighted within the ingredients list, for example by printing them in bold, italics or a different colour. An exception to this rules is products with a surface area of less than 10cm2 – if this applies to your products, have a look at the FSA website to understand your responsibilties.
Businesses failing to follow the new rules could face a fine of up to £5,000 per offence. But more importantly, the damage to the reputation of your business if a serious allergy incident occurs is almost impossible to calculate.
The death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse highlights the importance of food allergen awareness within all food businesses. Any business that sells or is planning to sell pre-packed foods would be sensible to consider their operations and processes now, in order to allow all required changes to be in place and tested before October 2021.
As well as considering the physical labelling requirements, food businesses will also need to think about their production process and staff training implications. It is vital that your business has a clear allergen policy, which allows both staff and customers to understand any risks that are present to allergy sufferers. Staff must fully understand any processes that they are expected to undertake when creating meals that fulfil any allergy-free claims you make, and those who communicate with customers must be able to do so truthfully and confidently.
All Safer Food Group training courses that contain allergy awareness advice include guidance on Natasha’s Law – and our all new Level 2 Allergy Awareness course for food handlers has been entirely updated and relaunched in September 2021, to comprehensively cover this subject.
Whilst Natasha’s law makes information more readily available and therefore easier for staff to communicate accurate ingredients information, the key message for all staff in food preparation is the importance of consistency in and clear communication of ingredients and recipes. Allergen training, whether in-house or with certified training courses, is a vital step in keeping your customers, staff and your business safe.
Red for meat, white for bread, green for vegetables.... or is it yellow? Or is that for cooked meat? Coloured chopping boards can be a great way of reducing cross contamination but they depend on everyone remembering the system and sticking to it.
The principle behind coloured chopping boards is that foods that run the risk of carrying pathogenic bacteria are kept away from those that don't. Raw meats and fish are high risk food. They may carry low levels of bacteria even before they enter your kitchen, so it is important that any surface and utensils you use for these foods are cleaned and disinfected BEFORE they are used for other foods. This is where a coloured chopping board can be useful - but only if everyone knows that red boards are for raw meats and blue for raw fish - and thorough cleaning and disinfection is still vital in between uses.
Cooked meats, cheeses and ready to eat chilled foods are also high risk foods, as they are high in protein and moisture and are an ideal breeding ground for bacteria in the wrong conditions. Traditionally, cooked meats would be chopped on yellow boards, and cheese on a white board, alongside bakery - but here is another flaw in the process; if not kept safely, cheese may contain bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, or Salmonella enterica, therefore using an unwashed chopping board for both bread and cheese runs a risk of cross contamination.
A relatively new addition to the world of coloured chopping boards is the purple board, for allergens. Again, this is a really tricky area. Using a separate board for allergenic ingredients can help ensure that they don't find their way into 'allergen free' dishes - but it doesn't guarantee that traces of one allergen doesn't contaminate dishes containing a different stated allergen. And don't forget that some allergens can become airborne - a purple chopping board is not an effective safeguard against peanut dust circulating throughout your kitchen.
In summary, coloured chopping boards can be an extra safeguard against cross contamination, as long as your system is understood and followed by every member of your kitchen team. But be careful they don't lead to complacent working practices or a replacement for thorough washing and disinfection between uses.
Need more information about introducing safe practices into your kitchen? Have a look at our Level 2 Food Hygiene, Level 2 HACCP and Level 3 Food Safety (Supervisors) courses today.
The Food Standards Agency have announced the launch of their ‘Here to Help’ Guide, aimed at small and new food businesses adapting to the current situation.
The FSA say,
‘In order to continue operating during COVID-19, many established food businesses have diversified into food delivery, takeaway or online sales. There has also been an increase in people cooking from home and selling food locally or online.
The Food Standards Agency are offering support and guidance to established and new businesses to help address the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Here to Help campaign will provide guidance and promote best practice to support food businesses to stay compliant with food hygiene and safety requirements and best respond to the impacts of COVID-19.’
The Safer Food Group
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Lower Lumsdale, Matlock
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