| This section provides an update
and overview of food-related industries and current
issues.
Quality/Safety Standards
Customers, local authorities and the general public
are demanding more and more from food suppliers.
How can Ellison-Webb Training help?
Food Safety Law
New Legislation about HACCP later this year it will
become a legal requirement for ALL food businesses to
have a documented HACCP system.
It has been a legal requirement since 1995 that all
businesses must conduct hazard analysis, but the requirement
to document systems was left out. Most smaller companies
have few systems in place; taking food temperatures
and filling in a cleaning schedule is a very small part
of a full HACCP system.
The authorities have given a time frame of two years
for businesses to comply with the additional regulations.
Licensing of Food Premises
Government has held back on the licensing of food premises,
despite calls from bodies such as the CIEH and consumers'
organisations. There is little doubt that all businesses
will need a licence eventually, but currently a licence
is only required if you or your business is:
- A butcher selling raw meat and ready to eat products.
- A manufacturer selling products that contain meat/poultry
(other than through your own shops)
.- A manufacturer
selling fish products.
- A manufacturer selling dairy products.
|
 |
Additional Food Hygiene Management
Tips
> Make a commitment to actively manage hygiene,
most businesses that are prosecuted have lost control.
> You'll get a hard time from the EHO if you haven't
got your finger on the button.
> Invest in your people; without their support and
understanding, controls and systems won't work.
> Ask your EHO for help and advice; don't be afraid
of the Inspector.
> Make sure your business is registered with the
local environmental health department, the Food Premises
(Registration) Regulations 1991 state that you must
register a new business, and/or change of ownership.
It costs nothing, but you could be in breach of legislation
if you haven't done it.
> A good starting point for setting up a Food Safety
Management System (HACCP), identify the start and finish
points of your main products, and draw up a flow chart.
Ask key members of your staff and management team to
look at it and confirm whether it is true, and then
walk it through.
> Make sure your food hygiene knowledge is detailed
enough for you to identify the major microbial, chemical
and physical hazards in your food products. If not,
train to a higher level, or bring in some expert advice.
> When setting your documentation for critical hazard
control points; try to identify common monitoring areas
and combine documents to reduce the amount of paperwork
you have to do; keep it realistic.
> Don't forget to consult with your team as to whether
the system is working or not, and whether the corrective
action for making the product safe to eat is having
to be used more often than you would wish. This means
that the control is not really effective and needs to
be adjusted. |
