If a food business makes, prepares or handles food of animal origin (FOAO) for supply to other businesses then, in most cases, the food business and its activities will need to be approved.
If a business supplies FOAO to the final consumer, that is the person who eats it, then they are exempt from approval.
FOAO include:
- meat and poultry, whether fresh, frozen or cooked
- meat products. For example, pies, sausage rolls, black pudding, bacon
- raw or partially cooked minced meat or meat preparations. For example, sausages, burgers
- fish and fish products. For example, fish fingers, prawns, lobsters, crabs and crayfish, whether dead or alive
- live bivalve molluscs
- ready meals containing fish or meat
- milk and dairy products. For example, butter, cream, cheese, yoghurt, ice-cream
- frogs legs and snails
- rendered animal fats and other animal by products. For example, gelatine, collagen, stomachs
- honey and blood
For further information visit the Food Standards Agency website.
Eligibility
A prohibited person check will be undertaken to make sure the food business operator has not been prohibited from operating a food business before.
How to apply
Before you complete an approval application we recommend that you contact us so that we can make an assessment of your food business and determine whether approval is required. You can call us on 0161 474 4181 or email food.safety@stockport.gov.uk
To apply for food premises approval you'll need to complete the online application form below.
Once we've received your application, we'll aim to process it within 28 days. A visit to your business will be arranged so that we can determine the outcome of the application.
Regulation summary
To obtain approval your business will need to meet certain hygiene standards set out in Regulation (EC) 853/2004 – Hygiene Rules for Foods of Animal Origin. The requirements vary depending on the type of product to be approved and are set out in the legislation.
This is in addition to the requirements set out in Regulation (EC) 852/2004 – Hygiene of Foodstuffs.
Useful information
Tacit consent
Tacit consent does not apply to this application. This means you cannot start any business activity, or trading, unless you've received conditional or full approval for your proposed activity from us.
If you start trading without approval it's an offence. This may lead to prosecution.
Application Redress Mechanisms
If an establishment does not fully meet the legal requirements, we may grant conditional approval (up to a maximum of 6 months) or refuse approval.
If we decide to refuse an application for approval we'll notify you in writing as soon as possible. We'll give you the reasons for refusal, the matters necessary to satisfy the requirements and make it clear that activities requiring approval may not be undertaken unless approval or conditional approval is granted.
If your application for approval is refused, you can appeal to the local Magistrates Court.