Guidance for Food Businesses
Listed below are a number of resources relating to food safety which are frequently requested from the Authority.
Food Hygiene Information
There are many online sources of advice and information on how to comply with hygiene legislation, in particular at www.food.gov.uk. You can find advice on all hygiene topics at this website, and download replacement copies of the Safer Food Better Business pack.
Register a Food Business
Food business operators must register a food business establishments to the relevant authority 28 days before commencing food operations. To register a food business use the following link:
On the basis of the activities carried out, certain food business establishments have to be approved rather than registered. If you are unsure whether any aspect of your food operations would require your establishment to be approved, please contact the Food Safety Team on 01545 570881 or clic@ceredigion.gov.uk.
Food Safety Management
From 1 January 2006 new European Community Food Hygiene Regulations replaced the now revoked Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995. In practice the main change relates to food safety management, and will require the documentation of arrangements for making sure that food sold to customers is safe.
There is now a legal requirement for all food businesses to provide appropriate documents and records showing how the HACCP principles are being applied.
A number of packs have been developed which assist businesses to comply with the above Regulations. Click here for an explanation of HACCP, and examples of HACCP plans in alternative languages. Alternatively follow the links opposite for further examples of Food Safety Management Systems.
Training
Food businesses must ensure that any staff who handle food are supervised and instructed and/or trained in food hygiene in a way that is appropriate for the work they do.
The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health website provides detailed information on the levels of food hygiene training available and provides a searchable database of training companies that offer training courses.
Alternatively you can use the link opposite for details of local training providers.
Food Law Inspections and your Business
If you run a business that makes or prepares food, it will be inspected to make sure you are following food law.
The inspectors will be enforcement officers from Ceredigion County Council if the business is located within the Authority area.
This website explains what inspections might involve and the action that inspectors can take if they find a problem in your business.
The webpage can be accessed by clicking: Food safety inspections and enforcement.