Food safety - risk assessment
Safer Food, Better Business (SFBB)
Since January 1, 2006, all food businesses
must have a fully documented food safety management system based on
the principles of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point
(HACCP). This means that you have to decide what it is that
you do to produce food that is safe, and have this written
down.
Whilst many larger businesses will have
developed their own systems, many smaller businesses won't.
That is why the Food Standards Agency have produced Safer
Food Better Business (SFBB). There are two types of packs, one for
small caterers and one for retailers.
Chinese and Asian versions are also
available. The SFBB pack contains a series of easy to
understand safe methods for cooking, chilling, cleaning, cross
contamination and management.
It is designed to be easily tailored to your
business and can be implemented in a relatively short period of
time.
The pack and further information is available
free of charge from the Food Standards Agency on 0845 606 0667 or
e-mail foodstandards@ecgroup.co.uk.
The FSA have launched a DVD that explains how
to use the pack in 16 languages. this is now contained within
the SFBB pack. Copies can be obtained from the above or
viewed or down loaded directly from the FSA website.
Food Registration
Registration of premises used for a food business, including market
stalls, delivery vehicles and other moveable structures, is
required by law. It involves completing a very simple form which
details the name, address, type of food business, the foods
handled, the name of the proprietor, address of head office or
registered office, number of people engaged in the food business
and whether or not it is a seasonal business. You must provide All
the information accurately. It is an offence to give false or
incomplete information.
There is no charge for registration and Local
Authorities cannot refuse to register premises. Registration
does not need periodic renewal.
How to register
Phone us on 01622 602202 to request a food
registration form or download from the
website.
Who needs to register?
If you run a food business, you must register
(or arrange for someone else to register) with the Local Authority
about any premises you use for storing, selling, distributing or
preparing food. Food premises includes restaurants, hotels, cafes,
shops, supermarkets, staff canteens, kitchens in offices,
warehouses, guest houses, residential care homes, delivery
vehicles, mobile food premises, child minders, buffet cars on
trains, market and other stalls, hot dog and ice cream vans, and so
on. If you are planning to produce food for a one off event, please
call us for further advice.
If you use vehicles for your food business in
connection with permanent premises such as a shop, or warehouse you
only need to tell the Local Authority how many vehicles you have.
You do not need to register each vehicle separately. If you have
one or more vehicles, but no permanent premises, you must tell the
Authority where they are normally kept.
Anyone starting a new food business must register with their Local
Authority at least 28 days before opening
You must inform us of any changes
Once registered you must inform us of any
changes in proprietor or changes in the nature of the business or
any change of address where a moveable business is kept. If
someone else takes over your business they must notify the Council
and register with us.
What happens to my
information?
The information is used to enable us to check that we have accurate
information regarding all food businesses in our inspection
programme. Also, the Council is required to keep a public
register showing the name and address of the food premises and the
type of business operated there. Apart from this, the remaining
information upon the form is confidential.