Grubs Up. You ll be aware that we have been. National Food Hygiene Rating. News and views for Chiltern s food businesses.

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1 Grubs Up Spring 2013 News and views for Chiltern s food businesses National Food Hygiene Rating You ll be aware that we have been running a food hygiene rating scheme in Chiltern for a while now. Since then local businesses and Chiltern Environmental Health Officers have continued to work hard to improve food hygiene standards... and it s working! In 2009 we had 75% of businesses that were Broadly Compliant, that is, businesses with a hygiene rating of 3, or 5. Today we have 92% of food businesses within Chiltern that have a rating of 3, 4 or 5. A massive congratulations to all. If you want to improve your food hygiene rating see our rating improver checklists on our website or contact your Environmental Health Officer for a detailed discussion, you can them on, envhealth@chiltern.gov.uk. Wales is to become the first part of the UK to force restaurants and cafes to display their hygiene ratings. The Food Standards Agency is looking to do the same in England, so that consumers can get better access to information about where you eat or buy food. You must ensure that you display the sticker or certificate relevant only to the last inspection. A Middlesbrough takeaway owner was fined for claiming his business had been awarded three stars for good hygiene standards when he had only been awarded one. He was fined 2,500 and ordered to pay costs of 1,199.

2 Food Hygiene training It s vital that food business operators and staff have appropriate knowledge and are trained and or supervised in relation to food hygiene. At Chiltern we run a range of food hygiene and health and safety courses. See our website for full details. Our taught Level 2 Award in Food Hygiene for Catering is being run on the following dates; 15 May June September November 2013 It costs 80 and takes one day. This course is fully accredited by the CIEH. New for May 2013 is our Level 2 Food Hygiene E-Learning Course. This is suitable for those businesses looking to refresh their food hygiene knowledge or those businesses unable to attend a taught course. We have partnered up with the UK s leading food safety training e-learning course provider. It offers a highly effective training tool to help maximise the understanding of food hygiene. The course features interactive exercises. The user is required to complete and pass 100% of all modules before a certificate can be produced. This E-Learning course costs 35 per person or 25 each if more than 5 persons book for on-line training from the same Company at any one time. As this is a new venture we are offering the first 10 delegates an introductory rate of 20 per person. Check out our website for further information and register your interest. 2

3 Waste All businesses are required to have proper arrangements for the collection of their trade refuse. Collection can only be carried out by a person legally authorised to do so a registered waste carrier. The Environment Agency operates an On-line Public Register where you can check to find a registered waste carrier or check the validity of someone claiming to be a registered Waste Carrier. You should keep records e.g. transfer notes and receipts, to identify what the collector had taken, where it was sent, the quantity, the date of collection and the collector. These records must be kept for 2 years. Waste in Food Rooms Food waste should be placed in containers and removed frequently from food handling areas where it is produced. Sufficient containers should be provided and placed conveniently where the waste occurs. Food Waste Awaiting Collection Refuse containers used for the storage of waste should have a close fitting lid to prevent access to flies and reduce unwanted smells. The containers must be made of a durable material, e.g. plastic which is easy to clean and disinfect. Other waste such as clean cardboard and paper need not be placed in a sealed container but must be kept separate from food and must be stored in such a way as to not pose a risk of contamination to food. Refuse stores must be designed and managed in such a way as to enable them to be kept clean, and protected against access by pests. Refuse stores should, ideally, be located away from food storage and handling areas and must not give rise to the risk of contamination of food or drinking water. Waste oil Waste cooking oil must be stored properly so that none is allowed to spill and that it is collected by an authorised collector. The oil must not be poured down drains or sewers because this leads to blockages and odour or vermin problems. It may also cause pollution of watercourses. Such action could also result in potential prosecution. Waste cooking oil should NOT be disposed of with the rest of the catering or kitchen waste because it may cause spillages leading to odour or pollution problems or waste contractors may refuse to remove it. Waste cooking oil should NOT be taken to household recycling centres (also known as Civic Amenity sites or CA sites) for disposal in engine oil banks. CA sites are not for commercial waste. 3

4 New guidance The Food Standards Agency (FSA) have issued guidance to clarify the steps that food businesses need to take to control the risk of contamination from E.coli O157. Serious outbreaks of E.coli in Scotland in 1996 and Wales in 2005 resulted in serious illness in some individuals and, in a few cases, death. These outbreaks were attributed to crosscontamination arising from the poor handling of food. Some of the key measures highlighted in the guidance to control E.coli are: that affects you disinfectants and sanitisers must meet officially recognised standards and should be used as instructed by the manufacturer. The full guidance can be viewed on the FSA s website: guidancenotes/hygguid/ecoliguide and also see our cross contamination on guidance identification of separate work areas, surfaces and equipment for raw and readyto-eat food use of separate complex equipment, such as vacuum-packing machines, slicers andm incers for raw and ready-to-eat food handwashing should be carried out using a recognised technique, such as shown in the SFBB pack. Anti-bacterial gels must not be used instead of thorough handwashing The FSA have also produced a video for those working in butchers shops to encourage them to think about the type of food safety risks they face in their business and how they should control them. It features three butchers talking about the steps they have taken to reduce food safety risks. Watch it at butchers At Chiltern we are continuously trying to improve the service we provide during our food and safety inspections. We appreciate any comments you may have which you believe may help to improve our service. We intend to hold a business forum in June 2013 to discuss ideas to improve the service. If you wish to be part of this forum or just wish to express your views, please contact Annmarie Staunton, Senior Environmental Health officer at envhealth@chiltern.gov.uk. 4

5 Do you bake or decorate cakes? Edible Glitters The Food Standards Agency has produced guidance to help food businesses safely use edible and non-toxic glitters and dusts with food. It applies to food that is prepared at home as well as to commercially made products. As a general rule, only edible glitters and dusts can be applied to food for consumption. It is important to note that glitters and dusts described as nontoxic are not the same as products labelled edible and should not be eaten. Only non-toxic glitters that have been tested for safety for contact with food, can be applied to food for decoration, but not for consumption. They should be labelled For food contact (or alternative wording to indicate their use) and include instructions for use. Food businesses should be aware that glitters and dusts that meet the requirements of the food contact materials legislation have not been approved for consumption. Other non-toxic glitters and dusts that have not been tested for contact with food, and are not labelled For food contact, should not come into contact with food. 5

6 Grubs Up Gas Safety and your Business It is important to get your gas appliances regularly serviced to make sure that they are working efficiently and safely. How often should inspections be carried out? Gas appliances should be inspected at regular intervals by a competent person in accordance with current industry practice. The periods between inspections may vary depending on the equipment and its use and should follow manufacturer s recommendations, but generally appliances should be inspected once a year as a minimum. What should a service include? A service should include: A thorough clean of the appliance Checking the flue or chimney to make sure the fumes are being safely removed to outside Checking there is an adequate supply of fresh air so that the gas burns properly Checking the appliance is burning the gas properly 6 Checking that all safety devices are working properly and will shut off the appliance, if a fault occurs How do I ensure a contractor is competent to carry out work on gas appliances? To make sure that a contractor is competent and is qualified to work safely and legally with gas you should always employ a Gas Safe registered (formerly CORGI) engineer. You can find a Gas Safe registered engineer in your area or check that they are qualified to work on commercial appliances (gas engineers who only have domestic qualifications are not suitable), by calling or by logging on to the Gas Safe Register website at: Every engineer will carry a Gas Safe Register ID card with their own unique license number, showing the type of gas work they are qualified to do. Before any gas work is carried out, always make sure you ask to see their Gas Safe Register ID card. You can also contact your local Environmental Health Officer for further advice envhealth@chiltern.gov.uk.