A poor inspection outcome can affect a food business financially and reputationally. Businesses should therefore keep procedures, training and records up to date throughout the year rather than waiting until an inspection is expected.
Start with the four Cs
- Cleaning
- Cooking
- Chilling
- Cross-contamination
Control contamination risks
Food businesses need controls addressing the principal forms of contamination:
- Microbiological: harmful bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms.
- Chemical: cleaning products, allergens or other chemical contamination.
- Physical: foreign objects entering food.
Procedures should reflect the food handled, the people served and the way the premises operates. Staff must understand the controls relevant to their work.
What should a business demonstrate?
Safe storage and temperature control
Store food at appropriate temperatures, separate raw and ready-to-eat products, rotate stock and monitor use-by dates. Temperature checks should be meaningful, recorded and followed by action when results fall outside safe limits.
Safe transportation
Where food is transported, suitable containers and vehicles should protect it from contamination and maintain required temperatures. Delivery and dispatch checks should form part of the business’s procedures.
Staff training and supervision
Food business operators are responsible for ensuring staff receive instruction, supervision and training appropriate to their duties. An officer will consider what employees understand and how they handle food in practice—not simply whether a certificate exists.
Personal hygiene
Staff should wash their hands effectively, wear suitable clean clothing and follow the business’s sickness-reporting rules. Cleaning schedules and opening and closing checks can help make expectations clear and consistent.
Reliable records
Records should support the controls used by the business. These may include temperature monitoring, cleaning checks, supplier information, traceability records, training and actions taken when something goes wrong.
Use findings to drive improvement
Regular self-checks can reveal problems before they become established. Record what was found, assign corrective action, retain supporting evidence and confirm when the issue has been resolved.
Grape PREPARE is being developed to bring inspection-readiness checks, actions and evidence into one connected workspace for food businesses.
The Food Standards Agency provides additional practical guidance through Safer Food, Better Business.
