Food Safety & Compliance Essentials
Food safety compliance doesn't need to be complicated. Whether you're running a café, restaurant, pub kitchen, or catering operation, the fundamentals are the same: keep food at safe temperatures, prevent cross-contamination, maintain good hygiene, and keep records to prove it.
This guide covers the practical essentials for UK food businesses. It's not a substitute for proper training or official guidance, but it will help you understand what's required and point you to the right resources.
In This Guide
The Basics
Daily Practice
Compliance
UK Food Safety Law - What You Need to Know
You don't need to be a legal expert, but understanding the basics helps you see why the rules exist.
The Food Safety Act 1990
The foundation of UK food law. It makes it an offence to sell food that's unsafe, not of the quality expected, or misleadingly described. The key principle: if you wouldn't eat it yourself, don't serve it to customers.
Food Safety & Hygiene Regulations
These set out the practical requirements: temperature control, hygiene practices, training, and premises standards. They require you to have a food safety management system based on HACCP principles.
Your Legal Duties
As a food business operator, you must ensure food is safe to eat, keep records of your suppliers, have a documented food safety system, and register your premises with your local authority.
Due Diligence Defence
If something goes wrong, you can defend yourself by showing you took all reasonable precautions. This is why record keeping matters - it's your evidence that you did things properly.
HACCP Made Simple
HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) sounds complicated, but the principle is straightforward: identify what could go wrong and put controls in place to prevent it.
What HACCP Actually Means
It's a systematic approach to food safety. You identify hazards (things that could make food unsafe), decide which are critical to control, and then monitor those controls. For most small food businesses, this boils down to temperature control, preventing cross-contamination, and proper cooking.
Safer Food, Better Business
The FSA provides a free pack called "Safer Food, Better Business" designed for small catering businesses. It's a practical, diary-based system that satisfies HACCP requirements without the complexity. Most small food businesses use this or something similar.
The Critical Control Points
For most kitchens, the critical points are: checking deliveries, proper storage temperatures, thorough cooking, safe cooling, and preventing cross-contamination. Get these right consistently and you're managing the major risks.
Keep It Proportionate
Your food safety system should match your business. A small café doesn't need the same documentation as a food factory. The key is having controls that work in practice, not paperwork that sits in a folder unused.
Temperature Control - The Most Important Thing You Do
Most foodborne illness comes from temperature abuse. Keep cold food cold, hot food hot, and minimise time in the danger zone (8°C to 63°C).
Checking Deliveries
Chilled food: Should arrive below 8°C, ideally below 5°C.
Frozen food: Should be solid and at -18°C or below.
What to do: Check temperatures with a probe. Reject anything that's not right. Record what you checked and the temperatures.
Storage Temperatures
Fridges: Set to run between 1°C and 5°C.
Freezers: Set to -18°C or below.
What to do: Check and record temperatures at least once daily. Know what to do if temperatures are wrong (usually: don't use affected stock until you've assessed it). Our storage and stock management guide covers fridge and freezer organisation in detail.
Cooking Temperatures
Core temperature: Most foods should reach at least 75°C at the thickest point.
Poultry and minced meat: Always cook thoroughly - no pink.
What to do: Use a probe thermometer. Check the thickest part. Clean the probe between uses.
Cooling and Reheating
Cooling: Get food below 8°C within 90 minutes. Use shallow containers, ice baths, or blast chillers.
Reheating: Heat to at least 75°C throughout. Only reheat once.
What to do: Plan cooling before you start cooking. Never put hot food straight into the fridge.
Allergen Management
Allergens can be life-threatening. Since Natasha's Law (October 2021), requirements for allergen labelling and information have become stricter. Get this right.
The 14 Allergens
You must be able to tell customers if food contains any of these:
Celery • Cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats) • Crustaceans • Eggs • Fish • Lupin • Milk • Molluscs • Mustard • Nuts • Peanuts • Sesame • Soybeans • Sulphites (above 10mg/kg)
Know Your Ingredients
You need to know what's in every dish you serve - including bought-in products, sauces, and marinades. Your supplier should provide allergen information for everything they supply. Keep this information accessible and up to date. Our menu planning guide covers building recipe cards with allergen information.
Communicating with Customers
You must be able to tell customers which allergens are in your food. This can be on menus, on labels (for pre-packed food), or verbally - but if verbal, you must have a sign telling customers to ask, and staff must know where to find the information.
Preventing Cross-Contamination
Separate storage for allergen-free ingredients. Clean surfaces and equipment between uses. Consider dedicated utensils for allergen-free cooking. Train staff to take allergen requests seriously - never guess.
Record Keeping - Your Evidence
Records prove you're doing things properly. They're your defence if something goes wrong and evidence of due diligence. Keep them simple but keep them consistent.
What to Record
Daily: Fridge/freezer temperatures, delivery checks, cleaning completed.
As needed: Cooking temperature checks, cooling records, any problems and actions taken.
Ongoing: Staff training, supplier details, allergen information for dishes.
How Long to Keep Records
Keep daily records for at least three months. Training records should be kept for as long as staff are employed (and ideally beyond). Supplier records should be kept current and accessible. Some businesses keep everything for a year - it's cheap insurance.
What EHOs Want to See
Environmental Health Officers aren't looking for perfect paperwork - they're looking for evidence that your system works in practice. Consistent records with the occasional issue noted (and action taken) are more credible than suspiciously perfect logs.
Make It Easy
The best system is one your team will actually use. A simple paper diary on the kitchen wall beats a complex spreadsheet nobody updates. Build record keeping into daily routines - first thing in the morning, end of shift.
EHO Inspections & Food Hygiene Ratings
Inspections are usually unannounced. The best preparation is maintaining your standards every day, not cramming before a visit.
How Ratings Work
In England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, food businesses get a rating from 0 to 5. The rating covers three areas: food hygiene and safety procedures, structural compliance, and confidence in management. You must display your rating sticker where customers can see it.
What Inspectors Look For
Hygiene: Hand washing, clean surfaces, pest control, waste management.
Structure: Premises in good repair, adequate facilities, proper ventilation.
Management: HACCP system in place, records up to date, trained staff, confidence you're in control.
Common Issues That Cost Points
Out-of-date food safety records. Temperature logs with gaps. Staff unable to explain procedures. Hand wash basins blocked or lacking soap. No evidence of staff training. Unclear allergen information. These are all easily avoidable.
If You Get a Low Rating
Address the issues immediately. You can request a re-inspection once you've made improvements (there may be a fee). Don't hide a low rating - it's a legal requirement to display it, and customers check online anyway.
Your Supplier's Role in Food Safety
Your food safety starts before products reach your kitchen. Choosing the right supplier and checking deliveries properly protects your business.
What to Expect from Your Supplier
Deliveries at correct temperatures. Clear date coding on products. Allergen information readily available. Traceability - they should be able to tell you where products came from. Evidence of their own food safety standards. Our guide to choosing a supplier covers due diligence questions to ask.
Checking Deliveries
Check temperatures of chilled and frozen goods. Check packaging isn't damaged. Check date codes give you adequate shelf life. Reject anything that's not right - and record that you rejected it and why.
Keep Supplier Records
You need to be able to trace where your food came from. Keep delivery notes, invoices, or at minimum a record of your suppliers' details. If there's a food safety issue, you need to show what you bought and from whom.
Frequently Asked Questions
What food safety records do I need to keep?
At minimum: daily temperature logs for fridges and freezers, delivery check records, cleaning schedules, and staff training records. Keep records for at least three months - many businesses retain them for a year. The FSA's Safer Food, Better Business pack provides templates for everything.
How often should I check fridge and freezer temperatures?
At least once a day, ideally at the start of service. Record the readings. If temperatures are outside safe ranges, check the cause, assess whether stock is still safe, and record what action you took.
What temperature should food deliveries arrive at?
Chilled food should arrive below 8°C (ideally below 5°C). Frozen food should be solid and at -18°C or below. Check with a probe thermometer and reject anything that doesn't meet these standards.
Do all my staff need food hygiene certificates?
The law requires staff to be trained appropriately for what they do - it doesn't specifically require certificates. However, Level 2 Food Hygiene training is widely expected, provides good evidence of training, and is relatively quick and inexpensive to obtain.
How do I prepare for an EHO inspection?
The best preparation is maintaining standards every day. Keep records up to date, ensure staff training is current, maintain cleaning schedules, and keep your HACCP documentation accessible. Inspections are usually unannounced - you can't cram for them.
Official Resources
For detailed guidance, these official resources are the definitive sources:
Food Standards Agency
The main regulatory body for food safety in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Their website has comprehensive guidance for food businesses.
Safer Food, Better Business
Free food safety management pack for small catering businesses. Includes diary pages, guidance, and everything you need for HACCP compliance.
Allergen Guidance
Detailed guidance on allergen requirements, including Natasha's Law requirements for prepacked for direct sale foods.
Food Hygiene Rating Scheme
How ratings work, what inspectors look for, and how to request a re-rating if you've made improvements.
Looking for a Food Supplier You Can Trust?
Xlent Foods delivers across Devon and Cornwall with temperature-controlled vehicles, full traceability, and allergen information for every product. We take food safety as seriously as you do.
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