Food safety regulations
Food Safety Regulations
General Rules
- Learning about the Food Safety Act 1990 is important; under this Act, all food businesses are required to provide safe food, with any activities posing a risk to human health deemed to be offences (this includes unsafe food, food unfit for human consumption or food that is not of the nature, substance or quality demanded).
- The Food Hygiene Regulations 2006 have specific rules on how food businesses must be run to make sure that the food they produce is safe.
- The General Food Regulations 2004 compels all food businesses to immediately withdraw unsafe food from sale, notify the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and effectively and accurately inform the consumer.
Specific Rules: Food Storage
- Stipulates that cold food should be kept below 5°C to prevent bacterial growth.
- Hot food should be kept above 63°C to prevent harmful bacteria from multiplying.
- The Danger Zone (5°C to 63°C) is where bacteria multiply fastest.
- Frozen food should be stored at -18°C or below so that the growth of bacteria is stopped.
- It also underlines that raw and cooked food must be stored separately to prevent cross-contamination.
Specific Rules: Food Preparation and Handling
- Indicates that hand washing is crucial before handling food and after touching raw foods, waste, toilets, animals and cash registers.
- Advocates for clean cooking utensils and surfaces to prevent cross-contamination.
- Suggests proper cooking and reheating to kill harmful bacteria.
- States the importance of checking labels to ensure foods are not out of date.
Enforcement of Regulations
- Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) are in charge of inspection and enforcement of the food laws across the UK, including actions such as advising businesses, carrying out inspections, taking samples and initiating prosecution or closure where necessary.