Food hygiene for businesses

We regularly inspect food businesses to: 

• make sure food is being handled and produced hygienically
• make sure food is safe to eat
• identify any risks of food poisoning or injury which might happen if the food is eaten

Most visits will be unannounced. We will not tell you that an inspection is happening.

Checks and enforcement

We will check:

• the condition of your premises
• the kinds of food you make or prepare
• how you work and the training given to food handlers
• your food safety management system

We always try to resolve any problems informally. Where there is a risk to public health we may take formal action. This could involve:

• serving legal notices
• prosecution
• the closure of the business, in extreme cases

For more information, go to food safety inspections and enforcement – Food Standards Agency.