Food Businesses

Proprietors of a food business have responsibilities under food safety legislation. They must ensure that the food or drink they produce is safe. Every food business will have different risks, depending upon the type of food that is prepared and the way in which it is produced and handled.

The main areas of legislation that cover general food business are:

• The Food Safety Act 1990 The Food Premises (Registration) Regulations 1991
• The Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995
• The Food Safety (Temperature Control) Regulations 1995
• The Food Safety (General Food Hygiene)(Butcher's Shops) Amendment Regulations 2000

These are just some of the regulations and there are many other areas of legislation, some of which cover specific products. As a proprietor you are responsible for checking specifically what you need to do to comply with the legislation. Failure to do this could lead to formal action being taken, which could result in financial penalties and accompanying adverse publicity. Staff in the Environmental Health and Housing Services are always willing to give guidance on how the legislation relates to your business.

For further information please contact the Food Safety Team on 01789 260832 or by email at food@stratford-dc.gov.uk or by fax on 01789 260808