Protect Your Business and Brand from Food Hygiene Laws

Food Hygiene Rating
Some local governments have taken initiatives to introduce food hygiene ratings. This is an example of how UK’s restaurants are urged by Food Safety Agency (FSA) to display their ratings.

Not only is proper food hygiene good for business, it’s a legal requirement in all cases where a premises serves food to the general public. If you want to run a successful restaurant, then you must adhere to the UK food hygiene regulations. Even in cases where the law is not clearly defined you should still practice proper food hygiene. You don’t want your business to be recognised as being unhygienic and one that doesn’t care about food safety. Here are some recommendations as well as legal requirements regarding food hygiene in the UK.

Properly Maintaining The Premises.

The building itself is going to be the first thing customers see before and after they enter. This includes the floors, the layout, the walls, the tables, and everything else inside that is not actually food. Not keeping the premises clean is just as bad as not properly caring for the food itself and will likewise result in your restaurant being penalised.

Dirt, bacteria, and other contaminants could all potentially enter your food from the surrounding environment. You must minimise the potential for airborne contamination of your food. You must also protect the food from particles There should also be enough room for you and other employees to carry out your required tasks in a hygienic matter.

Every restaurant needs enough lavatories and an efficient drainage system for all customers. However, UK food hygiene laws state that the lavatories cannot open directly into any room where food is being handled. There must be an adequate number of sinks for guests in the lavatories, but also separate sinks in the kitchen for washing food.

Caring For Rooms Where Food Is Prepared.

You are required to take certain precautions in rooms where food is prepared to prevent contamination. The floor must be made of a non-porous, water proof material and must also have an area for drainage. All floors must be cleaned around the clock and disinfected regularly.

Similar regulations are in place regarding restaurant walls in rooms where food is prepared. The walls must be made from a material that is easy to clean and disinfect. The cleaning and disinfecting of the walls must be performed regularly.

Ceilings must be kept clean as well so that dirt does not build up and drift into the food. The ceiling should be finished strategically to prevent excessive dirt build up as well as condensation from the food being prepared. Moisture build-up could lead to mould growth, which of course is a very bad thing for any business.

The Food Itself.

Of course, the food is the most important part of the equation. All of the laws outlined above are there to keep the food safe and clean. However, just having a clean business that meets these regulations won’t always keep the food safe. You must follow strict food safety management procedures to ensure food is always properly handled, cleaned, and prepared.

Hazard Analysis And Critical Control Point (HACCP) is a set of guidelines you should familiarise yourself with before opening your restaurant. HACCP is intended to help you manage any possible hazards associated with handling and preparing food.

Alternatively, you may wish to speak to a professional food law barrister about your restaurant and any food law compliance issues you may be concerned with.

What’s your most memorable holiday experience when it comes to food? Do you know a restaurant that displays their hygiene rating? Tell us about them in your comments below also let us know your thoughts on this article. 

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Peter Scully

Marketing Director at SF Media
Keen author and blogger. Peter writes on a number of topics he has a personal interest in, including brand promotion, marketing, social media, online marketing and small business advertising.