Q.
What happens once a complaint about food has been made?
A.
The defective food, details of purchase and the nature of the problem will be taken.
You may be asked to provide a witness statement. This does not necessarily mean that we will prosecute, it just helps us to collect information whilst it is fresh in your mind.
We will thoroughly and promptly investigate every complaint received in an attempt to establish the cause of the problem and to prevent it happening again.
The food may be sent to an accredited laboratory for analysis and we may visit the premises where the food was prepared or sold.
Investigations can take several weeks.
We will keep you informed on how your complaint is progressing and let you know the final outcome of our investigations.
We will not seek to obtain or otherwise negotiate any compensation or redress on behalf of the complainant.
If you feel a claim is appropriate, you are recommended to seek legal advice as soon as possible.
If you suffer from food poisoning as a consequence of eating contaminated food, you are advised to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
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Q.
What is food registration?
A.
The registration of a premises used for a food business (including market stalls, delivery vehicles and other moveable structures) is required by law.
Registration will allow local authorities to keep an up-to-date list of all those premises in their area so they can visit them when they need to.
The frequency of the visits will depend on the degree of risk involved.
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Q.
What happens during food safety inspections?
A.
All food businesses in the Borough are inspected on a regular basis to ensure that the food sold to the public is safe to consume.
The frequency of these inspections depends upon the potential risk posed by the type of business and its previous record.
Some premises might be inspected at least every six months, others less often.
The purpose of an inspection is:
- To ensure that food is being handled and produced hygienically;
- To ensure that food is safe to eat;
- To look at the potential risk for food poisoning or injury as a result of food consumed;
- To ensure that the food handling staff are trained in food hygiene and handling;
- To inspect the condition of equipment and the premises;
- To ensure there are precautions to prevent pest infestation;
- To ensure that staff are aware of the importance of personal hygiene;
- Inspectors will look at the operation of a food business to identify potential hazards and to ensure they are following the law
If problems are identified during the inspection, inspectors can take enforcement action to protect the public. This can include:
- Taking samples and photographs of food and inspecting business records;
- Writing to the food business operator informally, asking them to rectify any problems;
- Serving an improvement notice if the food business operator is breaking the law, which clearly states what the problem/offence is, what must be done to put it right and the time period for compliance. Failure to comply with the notice is an offence which will normally result in a prosecution;
- Serving a hygiene emergency prohibition notice which forbids the use of premises a process or equipment; Recommending a prosecution in serious cases
If a prosecution is successful, the court may prohibit the business from using certain processes, premises or equipment, or the offender could be banned from managing a food business. It could also lead to a fine or imprisonment.
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Q.
How often are food businesses inspected by Environmental Health Officers?
A.
It depends on the risk associated with the particular business. This in turn depends on the kind of business (e.g. a restaurant poses a higher potential risk than a shop selling only packaged food) and the condition of the business itself, as assessed by the inspector at every visit.
Inspection intervals range from every six months (highest risk) to every five years (lowest risk).
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Q.
What does genetically modified mean?
A.
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are created by the transfer of genes from one organism to another. This alters the DNA of the host organism, in a way that cannot be achieved by natural mating. One feature of this process is that GM crops, such as soya or maize (corn), can be made resistant to certain insects or diseases.
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Q.
Who needs to register a food premises?
A.
You must tell 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, delivery vehicles, buffet cars on trains, market and other stalls, hot dog and ice cream vans.
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 the local authority at least 28 days before doing so.
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