Food hygiene guide

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5

All food business operators are required to put in place, implement and maintain a permanent procedure or procedures based on HACCP Principles. HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points and is simply a process you must use to try and make sure that the food you prepare is safe for your customers to eat. In other words, you must identify the things in your day to day operation which might go wrong (hazards) which can result in food poisoning or food contamination and put in place good practices and procedures to stop things going wrong (controls), for example monitoring of food temperatures. Specifically, you must:

1. Identify any hazards that must be prevented, eliminated, or reduced to acceptable levels.
2. Identify the critical control points at the step or steps at which control is essential to prevent or eliminate a hazard or reduce it to acceptable levels.
3. Establish critical limits at control points which separate acceptability from unacceptability for the prevention, elimination or reduction of identified hazards.
4. Establish and implement effective monitoring procedures at critical control points.
5. Establish corrective actions when monitoring indicates that a critical control point in not under control.
6. Establish procedures to verify that the measures you have in place are working effectively.
7. Establish documents and records to demonstrate the effective application of your control measures.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5

CookSafe helps catering businesses in Scotland understand and implement HACCP (hazard analysis and critical control points) based systems. By reading the manual and following the instructions, you will be able to develop HACCP based procedures that fit your needs.

If you choose to use the CookSafe manual you must:

1. Familiarise yourself with the different sections in the manual.
2. Complete the house rules detailing the rules to be followed when handling food on your premises.
3. Implement a record keeping system to demonstrate that your food safety controls are working effectively. Records need to include food temperature control, from the receipt of foods through to service, and cleaning activities. You can develop your own record forms or use the suggested record forms in the Cook Safe manual.
4. Provide your food handlers with information and training on the Cook Safe house rules that you have created.

You can access and download CookSafe free of charge from the Food Standards Scotland website. 

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5

Stock control is a term used to describe the measures taken to ensure that food is not kept beyond its safe shelf life.

Stock control is important because if high risk food is kept too long, even under good (e.g. chilled) conditions, harmful bacteria may multiply. Even foods with a longer shelf life may deteriorate if they are kept for too long, leading to a reduction in quality.

As part of your food safety management system, you must ensure all food on your premises is suitably labelled to ensure food is not kept or used after it is safe to do so. It is best to label foods with a ‘use by’ date to allow easy shelf life checks to be made by staff. As part of your stock controls, you must ensure that the durability date on all foods within the premises is checked daily, so that food is not used beyond the safe date.

As a general rule, all foods prepared in house must be given a 3-day shelf life, including the date of production; all opened foods must be used in line with manufacturer’s instructions. Should you wish to give foods an extended shelf life, you must provide validation that the food will remain safe until the end of its shelf life.

Once opened, packages of food, such as cooked meat or bottles of sauces, can generally not be safely kept until the use-by or best before date originally applied to the food. Once the seal is broken bacteria have been allowed to get into this sterile environment and will begin to multiply. If a food cannot be kept until the original date on the packaging it will be labelled with information, for example ‘once opened refrigerate and consume within 2 days’. It is important that opened foods are re-labelled in accordance with these instructions. It is recommended that you label such foods with a use-by date as oppose to an ‘opened on date’ to enable quick and easy checks to be made by staff.

When mixing sauces in house using a base product, for example mayonnaise with herbs, vegetables or spices, the microbial complexion of the base product may be changed. Therefore, once mixed the ‘use-by’ date of the sauce should be no longer than 3 days including the day of production.

If a shelf life of greater than 3 days is to be given to a sauce, unless it has generally accepted preservative properties, validation must be provided to demonstrate that each product will remain safe for the extended shelf life. This applies to all foods made on site that will support the growth of bacteria.

If perishable foods, such as cooked meats, are frozen on the premises to extend their shelf life, they must be labelled to ensure that the product shelf life originally applied by the manufacturer is not extended once they are defrosted.

The number of days of shelf life remaining between the date of freezing and the original use by date is the maximum number of days a product can be kept once it is defrosted. For example, if a product is frozen 2 days before its use by date, it must be used within 2 days of being removed from the freezer. All frozen products must be clearly labelled to reflect this.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5
Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011
The Food Information (Scotland) Regulations 2014

Food businesses must identify, manage and communicate allergen risks to their staff and customers. It is important that all staff are aware of the ingredients in the foods you sell so that they can provide accurate information to consumers with food allergies.

As part of your food safety management system, you must manage the risk of allergens at all stages of your business –this includes checking deliveries, correct storage to avoid cross contamination and the preparation of dishes for an allergy sufferer.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5

The ‘Allergen Management’ section of the CookSafe manual is available to download from the CookSafe section of the Food Standards Scotland website, and provides you with information and advice on how to properly manage allergens, along with an ‘Allergen Management House Rules’ section which you must complete and include as part of your food safety management system, if using the CookSafe system. The House Rules must accurately reflect how you run your business and be readily understood by all food handling staff.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5

Temperature control is a critical step in the safe production of food as bacterial presence, growth and survival are some of the most significant food safety hazards that any food business must control. Bacteria, including any food poisoning bacteria that may be present, will multiply rapidly between the temperature range of 8 – 63°C. It is therefore vital that food temperatures are carefully controlled to ensure that food remains within this temperature range for the shortest time possible.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter IX, para 1

When accepting high risk foods, it is important that you ensure they are not at an unsafe temperature. If foods that support the growth of bacteria are not arriving at your business within a safe temperature range, they may already contain bacteria at unsafe levels. If this is the case, you are effectively introducing a problem to your business that you may not be able to control.

You must therefore set a critical temperature limit beyond which deliveries will be rejected. Delivery temperatures for chilled foods must be monitored and recorded, as per all other temperatures within your business. A maximum temperature limit of 8°C for refrigerated deliveries and a minimum of -15°C for frozen deliveries is recommended.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Chapter IX, Annex II, paras 2 and 5
Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 2006, Regulation 30

Refrigerators must maintain foods below 8°C, ideally between 0-5°C. Refrigeration temperatures should be checked at least once per day, ideally at the start of the working day. While unit dials can be a useful way to spot check the refrigerator temperature, you should carry out a second check to verify that the dial is giving an accurate reading of food temperature within the unit. This should be done on at least a weekly basis.

Freezer temperatures should also be monitored and recorded daily. Ideally freezers will maintain food below -18°C. Food should have an iced appearance and feel solid to the touch.

Refrigerator and freezer temperatures can be monitored by placing small thermometers on the middle shelf of the unit. Alternatively, for refrigerators, a simulated food item such, as a labelled bottle of water, could be stored within the unit and the water probed to provide a true representation of food temperature.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5

When cooking foods for the first time, for example raw meat, soups or stews you must ensure that the core temperature reaches a minimum of 75°C to ensure that any harmful bacteria within the food are destroyed. When cooking stews and soups, these must be stirred regularly to ensure there are no cold spots where bacteria can multiply. You must record a representative sample of your monitoring practices as part of your documented food safety management system.

An exception to this rule is whole cuts of beef, lamb or venison as the inside surface of these cuts are sterile with all contamination being contained on the outer surface of the meat. However, should joints be rolled, cuts of red meat be minced and re-formed or meat tenderised, these items must be cooked thoroughly as opposed to being served rare as any outer bacteria present has been put into the centre of the product.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter IX, para 6

Food should be cooled as quickly as possible before being refrigerated. Limiting the cooling time, particularly if cooling is being carried out at ambient temperature, will limit the growth of any bacteria or germination of spores that may be present. The recommended maximum time for cooling foods is 90 minutes. Methods can include dividing batches into smaller portions; the use of large, shallow trays; or putting a container of hot food into a larger container of cold water and ice.

Cooling time is a critical control point for safe food production. To monitor this time you must ensure that the time started cooling and time finished cooling is recorded. The core food temperature at the end of the cooling time should also be monitored and recorded, to demonstrate that the food had cooled to a temperature that allowed refrigeration at this stage. You must record a representative sample of your monitoring practices as part of your documented food safety management system.

If using a blast chill to rapidly cool foods, a record of each batch of food cooled using this equipment should be kept. This record should include the type of food, start time, finish time and end product temperature.

An exception to the 90-minute cooling rule would be the cooling of joints of meat. There is specific guidance on this practice based on research carried out by Campden BRI. These guidelines should be followed, and records of the time and temperature kept accordingly. You can find a short summary of this guidance document on the Food Standards Australia New Zealand website.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter IX, para 7

Foods that will support the growth of bacteria must be defrosted under temperature controlled conditions to prevent the multiplication of harmful bacteria. Foods must be defrosted in the refrigerator. Raw meats, must be defrosted within the bottom of the refrigerator within a container capable of holding all liquid that will be produced during the process. Defrosting under refrigeration will take a significant length of time and you must ensure that you allow sufficient time to ensure that the food is completely defrosted prior to cooking/re-heating.

Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 2006, Regulation 30

Foods that have been cooked or re-heated and are being held hot, must be kept at 63°C or above. You must record a representative sample of your monitoring practices as part of your documented food safety management system. If foods are hot held for a significant length of time, it is recommended that the food be re-tested every 2 hours to ensure the food remains at a safe temperature and that records be kept of this practice.

Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 2006, Regulation 30

All foods that have previously been cooked and are to be re-heated must be raised to a core temperature of at least 82°C. This rule applies to all foods cooked on site as well as those foods bought in pre-cooked. Foods must never be re-heated more than once. You must record a representative sample of your monitoring practices as part of your documented food safety management system.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5, para 2(g)

All food businesses must keep records of their temperature monitoring practices that demonstrate the critical control points they have identified are under control.

These records must contain a representative sample of the monitoring practices being carried out as evidence that food safety controls are being maintained. It is important that records are accurate and up-to-date as they form part of your due diligence defence should a complaint be made against your business.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5

Monthly calibration checks of your probe thermometers should be carried out to ensure that the probe is functioning properly and can monitor the correct temperature of the food.

This can be achieved by placing the probe in boiling water and checking the digital reading is between 99-101°C. When placed in iced water the digital display is between -1 and 1°C. These checks should be recorded.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5

In 2012 the Food Standards Agency (now Food Standards Scotland) released guidance on the Control of E. coli O157. This guidance required businesses to implement additional controls when handling raw foods, meaning raw meats and unwashed vegetables (particularly root vegetables) and ready-to-eat foods, meaning foods that will be eaten without further cooking. This guidance has since been updated by Food Standards Scotland.

See the latest version of the E. coli guidance released by Food Standards Scotland.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5
Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter VIII, para 1

Effective hand washing is a basic requirement of food safety. The correct hand washing procedure is essential to ensure that once hands are washed, they are not re-contaminated.

See a video on hand washing techniques that you can use as a training aid.

When someone is going to wash dirty, contaminated hands e.g. after handling raw meat or going to the toilet, they will touch the tap thereby contaminating it. Should they switch the tap off using their hands after hand washing, their otherwise clean hands will become re-contaminated. Unless non-hand-operable taps are provided at all wash hand basins, all food handlers must be trained to turn the tap off using a paper towel after washing, to ensure that clean hands do not become re-contaminated.

Staff must always wash their hands at a dedicated wash hand basin.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5
Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter VIII, para 1

Should you wish to use disposable gloves during food handling it is important that they are used correctly, and all staff must be aware of when and how often the gloves should be changed. It is important to note that hands should always be washed thoroughly before putting gloves on and after removal if staff have been handing raw/contaminated foods or waste. Disposable gloves should never be used as an alternative to hand washing.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5
Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter IX, paras 2 and 3

Ready-to-eat foods are foods that will be eaten without further cooking. Storing raw(uncooked) and ready-to-eat foods together puts ready-to-eat foods at risk of contamination from harmful bacteria that are commonly found on raw foods.

Complete separation is the best method to control cross contamination so where possible, separate refrigerators and freezers must be used for the storage of raw and ready-to-eat foods.

Where this is not possible, raw foods must be stored below ready-to-eat foods within refrigerated, frozen and ambient storage. In general, the following rule would apply to refrigerated storage:

• Top: ready-to-eat foods e.g. cooked meats, cheese, washed salads and fruits.
• Middle: unwashed vegetable, salad and fruit items.
• Bottom: raw meat and fish.

If you are using a display chill for raw and ready-to-eat foods, you must ensure that the risk of cross contamination in controlled. As with all other storage, the best control is complete separation with separate display chills being provided for raw and ready-to-eat foods. If this is not possible, raw foods must be stored separately from ready-to-eat foods with a clear separation or physical barrier between them.

Raw foods, such as raw meat, must not be stored in front of ready-to-eat foods within a display chill as when the raw food is removed it must be lifted over the ready-to-eat food, creating a contamination risk.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5
Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter I, para 2(a)
Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter II, para 1
Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter IX, para 3

The best way to control the risk of cross contamination during preparation is to provide permanently separate preparation areas for raw and ready-to-eat foods. A ready-to-eat/clean area should be designated, and all ready-to-eat equipment and packaging must be stored within this area. Once you have designated a ready-to-eat/clean area, this area must never be used for any raw food handling or preparation and raw equipment or packaging must never be stored there.

If complete physical separation is not possible, raw and ready-to-eat food preparation must be time separated, with all raw preparation being carried out before any ready-to-eat preparation starts. In between raw and ready-to-eat preparation practices, all work surfaces, sinks and tap handles that have been used must be cleaned and disinfected using a two-stage cleaning process.

While all raw preparation should be grouped together, preparation practices should not put certain foods at risk of further contamination. For example, raw meat and unwashed salad items should not be prepared at the same time. If you have very limited space and are carrying out a range of preparation practices these should be undertaken in the following order:

1. Raw meat preparation
2. Two stage clean and disinfection
3. Vegetable and salad preparation
4. Two stage clean and disinfection
5. Ready-to-eat food preparation

If it is not possible to control the risk of cross contamination due to space constraints, you must eliminate or reduce this risk in other ways. For example, buy in pre-cooked meats and pre-prepared vegetables or change the menu you offer.

You can find more information about this requirement in the cross contamination guidance on the Food Standards Scotland website.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5
Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter II, paras 2 and 3

Incorrect sink use can put foods at risk of contamination. Ideally separate sinks will be provided for washing equipment and for food wash and these sinks will be clearly marked as such. Where this is not possible, equipment and food washing practices must be strictly time separated with a two-stage clean and disinfection process of the surrounding area and tap handles carried out between each use.

A separate and designated wash hand basin must always be provided for hand washing only.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5
Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter V, 1(a)
Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter IX, para 3

The only way to ensure that harmful bacteria that may be present on equipment are destroyed is through heat disinfection, for example washing in a dishwasher. The use of a dishwasher greatly reduces the risk of contamination spreading from equipment to food. However even if you use a dishwasher for all equipment, it is still strongly recommended that you provide separate and readily identifiable equipment for raw and ready-to-eat preparation.

If you do not have a dishwasher you must provide separate and clearly identifiable equipment for the preparation and storage of raw and ready-to-eat foods. This includes chopping boards, knives, storage containers and any other equipment used. Raw and ready-to-eat equipment must be washed and stored separately to prevent the spread of contamination.

If raw equipment is not being heat disinfected between uses, it must be stored separately from ready-to-eat equipment and must never be used for ready-to-eat food storage or preparation.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5
Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter IX, para 3

The preparation of salad and vegetable items that will be eaten raw must be considered. It must be made clear at which point during the process each item is to be considered as ‘ready-to-eat’ as opposed to ‘raw’, for example after the washing process. You must then ensure that the correct preparation equipment is used for each stage within the designated area of the kitchen. For example, when preparing raw carrots for coleslaw or salad, the following procedure should be implemented:

• Top and tail carrots and peel them on a raw vegetable board using a raw knife. It is important that carrots are peeled before washing as contamination is likely to be present within the grooves of the root.
• Wash carrots thoroughly under clean running water.
• Finish preparation on a ready-to-eat board using ready-to-eat equipment within a designated clean area of the kitchen. Final preparation must not be carried out on a raw board which is potentially contaminated.

See more information on adequate cleaning methods for fruit and vegetables.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5
Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter V, para 1(a)

A sanitiser or disinfectant is only effective when it is applied to a visibly clean surface. You must ensure that all food contact surfaces, including work surfaces and food equipment, are cleaned using a two stage cleaning process as follows:

1. Clean surface using a suitable detergent or degreaser ensuring it is free of food, grease and any visible dirt.
2. Apply your sanitiser to this clean surface for the required contact time.

When washing food equipment (knives, chopping boards etc.) by hand a similar two stage cleaning and disinfection process must be implemented. Equipment must be washed in hot soapy water in your first sink, then submerged in a sanitiser/disinfectant solution (appropriately diluted if necessary) in your second sink for the required contact time.

Alternatively, simple, flat sided equipment such as chopping boards and knives could be sprayed with a suitable sanitiser/disinfectant after they have been washed with hot soapy water. If using this method, you must ensure that all surfaces of the equipment are covered in sanitiser/disinfectant and that it is left on for the required contact time prior to rinsing. This method is unlikely to be effective for more intricate items of equipment, for example graters, as it is not possible to ensure that the sanitiser soaks all available surfaces in order to achieve effective disinfection.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5
Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter V, para 1(a)

All food businesses handling raw foods, including raw meat and/or soiled vegetables are required to adequately clean and disinfect any preparation surfaces or equipment that may be contaminated. To ensure adequate chemical disinfection, a sanitiser that meets either BS EN 1276 or BS EN 13697 or equivalent must be used. These standards provide assurance that the disinfectant (or sanitiser) is capable of reducing a range of harmful bacteria, including E. coli, to acceptable levels if used as stated by the manufacturer. It is the responsibility of the food business operator to ensure they are using the appropriate disinfectants; if the standard is not displayed on the product’s label you need to contact the supplier or manufacturer for confirmation in writing.

To ensure that the cleaning chemical used is effective, you must ensure that it is applied to a clean surface (see two stage clean) and that it is diluted correctly. If your chemical isn’t diluted properly and the solution is too weak, it will be ineffective. This also applies to sanitiser that is diluted within sinks for the soaking food equipment. It is essential that manufacturer’s instructions are followed correctly and you must ensure that dilution ratios are accurate and that simple measures are in place to ensure that staff can quickly and accurately dilute chemicals when needed.

If your chemical supplier recommends the use of pump dispenser, this should be used as per the manufacturer’s instructions with the corresponding trigger spray bottles.

If you are not using a pump dispenser and are diluting a measured amount, a measuring jug or similar must be used to ensure the correct amounts of chemical and water are used.

If your chemical is designed for use within a sink, a dilution ratio per litre will be provided. To achieve this accurately you will need to carry out the following steps:

1. Measure out the volume of water required to fill the sink you will be using to a high enough level to allow the required equipment to be immersed. This could be done using a measuring jug.
2. Mark the sink with a ‘fill line’ so that this volume of water can be accurately provided thereafter.
3. Using the manufacturer’s instructions, calculate the volume of chemical concentrate that will be required for the volume of water you require.
4. Provide a measuring jug/pump dispenser or similar to ensure that staff can always accurately and easily measure the required amount of concentrate required.
5. Write this information within your food safety management system and if necessary display this information in your premises for staff reference.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5
Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter VIII, para 1

Clean protective clothing must always be worn when handling food to ensure that physical contamination is not spread from personal clothing to food. Hats or hair nets are also recommended to further protect food from physical contamination.

Protective clothing worn when handling and preparing raw meats and soiled root vegetables must not then be worn for the preparation or service of other foods as there is a risk that contamination will be spread from clothing to food. Any protective clothing worn when handling raw foods must be removed prior to undertaking other activities. It is recommended that a disposable plastic apron be put over protective clothing and simply discarded after use, however if a cotton apron is to be used, this must be clearly identifiable and designated for raw use only. Cotton aprons used for this purpose must be laundered regularly within a washing machine on a boil wash setting.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5
Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter IX, para 3

Cotton cloths harbour bacteria and when in poor condition can pose a risk of physical contamination to food.

For these reasons the use of cotton cloths for cleaning or underneath boards to prevent slippage is strongly discouraged; disposable paper towels are recommended instead.

If you wish to use cotton cloths in the kitchen a colour coded system must be implemented. (i.e. green for use in the ready-to-eat area only). Raw cloths must never be placed on a ready-to-eat preparation surface or underneath a ready-to-eat chopping board as this will facilitate the spread of contamination. These cloths must be stored completely separately and washed daily within a washing machine on a boil wash setting. Steeping dirty cloths in bleach is not considered an effective cleaning method as organic matter, such as grease, dirt or food on the cloths will reduce the disinfectant properties of the bleach, meaning the cloths will not be adequately disinfected.

Once these cloths start to become worn they must be disposed of and replaced to prevent threads of cloth contaminating food.

Cotton cloths must never be used to cover foods or placed in contact with food. Only suitable, clean, food grade materials must be used to cover foods, such as cling film and tin foil.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5
Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter X, para 1,2 and 3

Food packaging and wrapping materials are not to be a source of contamination and must be stored in a manner that protects them from becoming contaminated. Food packaging such as containers must be stored in suitable, clean areas, where they are not subject to physical contamination or pest access.

Wrapping and packing operations must also be carried out in a manner that protects the food product from contamination. Packaging used to cover, wrap or store raw meats e.g. cling film, tin foil or freezer bags are at risk of becoming contaminated by contact with dirty hands or the food itself during the wrapping or bagging process. This contamination can then be spread to any ready-to-eat foods wrapped up thereafter.

For this reason two sets of designated food packaging materials should be provided; one for use with ready-to-eat foods only and the other for raw use only. These must be clearly marked and stored in the corresponding designated areas.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter I, para 1

Food premises require to be kept clean and maintained in good repair and condition. This applies to all rooms were food is prepared, handled and stored as well as staff facilities and equipment storage areas.

All surfaces should be smooth, impervious and easy to clean.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5

To ensure that your premises is maintained in a clean and hygienic condition, a cleaning schedule should be created that covers the frequency and method of cleaning all areas and equipment on your premises. This should form part of the documented food safety management system and should be signed and dated by staff on completion of the documented tasks, to enable management checks to be carried out.

Toilets/Intervening Space - Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter I, para 3

An adequate number of toilets must be provided and must connect to an effective drainage system. In addition toilets should not open directly into rooms in which food is handled.

The purpose of this intervening space or lobby area is to prevent the flow of contamination from the WC into the food handling area when the door is opened and closed. The separating walls between the toilet and the food handling areas must reach from the floor to the ceiling and it must be possible to completely close one door before opening the other, thereby providing a completely enclosed space that prevents the flow of contamination.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter I, para 4

The legislation requires that an adequate number of wash hand basins be available, suitably located and designated for washing hands.

Suitably located means that all food handlers must have easy access to a wash hand basin. The suitable maximum distance between a food handling or preparation area and the nearest hand wash facility is dependent on the practices being carried out. Food handlers handling money and foods; or raw and ready-to-eat foods on a regular basis will require to wash their hands frequently and facilities must be sited accordingly. Facilities provided for counter staff serving customers must be situated to enable them to wash their hands without having to leave the front shop unattended. If hand wash facilities are not suitably located, frequent hand washing will be discouraged and food safety jeopardised.

All wash hand basins must be provided with hot and cold running water, soap and hygienic hand drying materials e.g. paper towels.

While a hot water supply is required, it is important that water is not too hot as this will discourage effective hand washing and may create a scalding risk. Hot water should be no hotter than 43°C and in order to achieve this it is recommended that wash hand basins are fitted with a mixer tap or alternatively a thermostatic control valve can be fitted to the hot tap limiting the temperature of water from this tap only.

It is also recommended that all wash hand basins be fitted with non-hand operable taps to further enhance cross contamination controls.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter I, paras 5 and 6

Suitable and sufficient means of natural or mechanical ventilation is required within premises, including the toilet area.Mechanical airflow should not go from a contaminated area to a clean area and the ventilation system should be constructed in a way that enables filters and other parts to be cleaned and replaced as necessary.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter I, para 7

Food premises require adequate natural or artificial lighting. Inadequate lighting prevents effective cleaning and makes checks for signs of pest activity difficult.

It is recommended that all light fittings are fitted with diffusers to protect food from physical contamination should a light bulb shatter.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter I, para 8

Drainage facilities are to be adequate for the purpose intended and must be constructed to avoid the risk of contamination. Where drainage channels are fully or partially open waste must not flow from a contaminated to a clean area.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter I, para 10

To prevent food from chemical contamination, cleaning agents and disinfectants should not be stored in areas where food is handled. Ideally, a designated chemical storage room should be designated. If you do not have capacity within your establishment for this, chemicals must be kept within a designated cupboard where food is never stored.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter II

In rooms where food is prepared, treated or processed, the design and layout are to permit good food hygiene practices, including the protection against contamination between and during operations.

As well as design and layout, a business must consider the size of the food preparation area available. This will relate to the scale of food production that can be realistically achieved in a safe manner. If your premises is too small to allow safe food preparation the scale of your business must be reduced accordingly.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter V

All equipment that comes into contact with food must be cleaned and disinfected when necessary and maintained in a condition that enables it to be adequately cleaned and disinfected.

To enable this all food contact surfaces must be smooth and non-absorbent. Any wooden surfaces must be treated or sealed in such a way that they do not permit the absorption of liquid and can therefore be sprayed and wiped clean.

Any damaged equipment, including chopping boards or surfaces that are worn or scored must be repaired, or discarded as bacteria will gather in the scores and prevent adequate cleaning. Following repair surfaces must be smooth and easy to clean.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter VII, para 4, Chapter 4

Ice which comes into contact with food or which may contaminate food is to be made from potable water. It must be made, handled and stored under conditions that protect it from contamination.

Ice machines must be cleaned and disinfected on a frequent enough basis to prevent the growth of mould and ensure ice is not subject to contamination.

Ice scoops should not be stored in ice and should be kept within a lidded container to protect them from contamination. In addition, they must be cleaned and disinfected on a frequent basis.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter IX, para 4

Adequate procedures must be in place to control pests. To achieve this you are required to ensure that your premises are adequately pest proofed. Openings or gaps in the fabric of the building must be sealed. This includes even the smallest of gaps as mice are able to fit through a space the size of a ball point pen.

There is no requirement for you to have a contract with a professional pest control company, however this may assist you in ensuring that problems that arise are quickly addressed. If you do not wish to set up a contract, you must perform in-house checks frequently. A record of these checks should be kept demonstrating these controls, as part of your due diligence defence.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter XII, para 1

Food business operators are to ensure that food handlers are supervised and/or instructed in food hygiene matters commensurate with their work activity. Training is important because staff need to know how they can contribute to food safety. We strongly recommended that formal training be obtained from a training centre listed on the REHIS website.

Copies of certificates of any food hygiene training courses they have attended should be retained.

All food handlers must also be trained in the food safety management system procedures they are expected to follow in the preparation and service of foods on your premises.

HACCP Training - Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter XII, para 2

Anyone working within the business that is responsible for the development and maintenance of your HACCP procedures should receive adequate training in HACCP principles. The level of training will depend upon the complexity of the hazards being assessed within the operation.

See a list of the different levels of REHIS accredited HACCP training courses available and the location of training centres. 

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter IX , para 3

Food must not be left uncovered in an area of the kitchen or storage rooms where pests can access it, or where other physical contamination of the food can happen. Flying pests can land on uncovered food and transmit dangerous bacteria on to the food. If food is left uncovered, particularly in storage, crawling insects and rodents can also potentially access and physically contaminate it. Foods should also be stored off the floor for this reason.

You must cover all foods, either in food grade boxes or food bags, or with the use of cling film, foil or similar food grade products. The use of bin liners or plastic carrier bags from shops is not acceptable, as these are not made from food grade plastic and potentially harmful chemicals can transfer from the plastic into the food.