Food safety risk management
It is a legal requirement for food businesses to operate a documented food safety management system. The system must be based upon the principles of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP).
Food safety management is about complying with food hygiene and food standards to produce safe food. Food businesses must ensure that they have food safety management procedures in place.
The best way of complying with these requirements is with Safer Food, Better Business, which is a practical, easy to use food safety management system based on the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System (HACCP) principles for small to medium sized businesses, devised by the Food Standards Agency.
It can assist your business by:
- helping to ensure food is safe for customers to eat
- helping business operators to comply with the legal requirements
- helping you train staff in food hygiene matters
The Safer Food Better Business pack includes the following sections:
- safe methods on cross contamination, cleaning, chilling and cooking
- a supplier list
- staff training record
- a cleaning schedule template
- day diary and 4 week diary review
To buy a Safer Food Better Business pack, you can do so at Buy Safer Food Better Business Packs online.
Alternatively, please Contact Food Safety.
The packs cost:
- £25 per copy of the full pack with diary (price includes posting and packing)
- £15 per pack for diary refill sheets (price includes posting and packing)
Alternatively, download a free copy from the Food Standards Agency - Safer food, better business (SFBB).
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System (HACCP)
For larger and more complex food businesses, HACCP is a way of managing food safety hazards. Food safety management procedures should be based on HACCP principles.
HACCP involves:
- looking closely at what you do in your business, what could go wrong and what risks there are to food safety
- identifying any critical control points the areas a business needs to focus on to ensure those risks are removed or reduced to safe levels
- deciding what action you need to take if something goes wrong
- making sure that your procedures are being followed and are working
- keeping records to show your procedures are working
It is important to have food safety management procedures that are appropriate for your business.
A food hazard is something that could make food unsafe or unfit to eat. It's important you can identify those stages in your business when hazards could be present, so they can be removed or reduced to safe levels.
There are three main types of food safety hazards:
- microbiological - involving harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli 0157
- chemical - involving chemical contamination such as pesticides, acrylamide, allergens
- physical - involving objects getting into food such as metal, glass, plastic, insects
Sous Vide food preservation
Information on the sous vide method of preserving food by partial cooking followed by vacuum-sealing and chilling.
Contact Food Safety for more information.
- Email ehcp@durham.gov.uk
- Telephone 03000 261 016
Document downloads
Related information
- Safer food, better business retail pack
- Safer food, better business residential care supplement
- Chartered Institute of Environmental Health: food safety training
- Chilled Food Association: Micro Criteria Guidance
- Chilled Food Association: food shelf life guidance
- Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point and implementation flexibility for low risk food businesses
- Food Standards Agency: Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP)
- Food Standards Agency: Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point in meat plants
- Food Standards Agency: burger safety guidance
- Food Standards Agency: childminders guidance
- Food Standards Agency: egg handing advice
- Food Standards Agency: Food crime - guidance for businesses
- Food Standards Agency: wild game guidance
- Microbiological safety assessment guidelines
- Vacuum Packing Guidance