Food safety questions, answered

Food hygiene ratings

• How do I get a food hygiene rating?

  You can't apply for a food hygiene rating. You register your food business with your local council at least 28 days before you start trading, and the council's food safety officer then inspects you and gives you a rating from 0 to 5.

• How is a food hygiene rating worked out?

  The officer scores three things: how hygienically food is handled, the physical condition of the premises, and how food safety is managed. Those scores together give your rating, from 5 (very good) down to 0 (urgent improvement necessary).

• How often are food businesses inspected?

  Anywhere from every six months for high-risk businesses to every two years for lower-risk ones. The council decides the gap from the type of food you handle, who your customers are, the processes you carry out and how you did at your last inspection.

• Can I get my food hygiene rating changed?

  Yes, in three ways: ask for a re-rating visit once you've made the improvements, appeal within 21 days if you think the rating is unfair, or publish a right to reply alongside it. Most councils charge a fee for a re-rating visit and tell you the amount before you apply.

Temperatures

• What temperature should a commercial fridge be?

  Chilled food must be kept at 8°C or below: that is the law in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The FSA recommends setting your fridge to 5°C or below so it stays under 8°C even when the door is opened a lot.

• What temperature should food be cooked to?

  Cook food until the centre reaches 70°C and holds it for 2 minutes, or one of the equivalent combinations, such as 75°C for 30 seconds. Check the thickest part with a clean probe thermometer.

• What are the hot holding and reheating temperatures?

  Hot food you aren't serving straight away must be kept at 63°C or above. When you reheat food it must be steaming hot all the way through; in Scotland the law sets a minimum of 82°C.

• What is the temperature danger zone?

  The danger zone is between 8°C and 63°C. Bacteria that cause food poisoning can grow at these temperatures, so food should spend as little time in that range as possible.

• How long can food be left out of the fridge?

  Chilled food can be out of the fridge for up to 4 hours, then it must be thrown away. Cooked food you are cooling should go into the fridge within one to two hours.

The law and your business

• Is a food hygiene certificate a legal requirement?

  No. The law doesn't require a certificate, but it does require every food handler to be supervised and instructed or trained in food hygiene to a level that suits their work. A certificate is the simplest way to show an inspector that training has happened.

• Do I need to register my food business?

  Yes. Every business that sells, cooks, stores, handles, prepares or distributes food must register with its local council at least 28 days before trading. Registration is free and can't be refused.

• How long must food handlers stay off work after sickness or diarrhoea?

  Food handlers with diarrhoea or vomiting must not return to work until they have had no symptoms for 48 hours. They must also tell their manager if they are unwell, or if anyone they live with has diarrhoea or vomiting.

• What is Safer Food, Better Business (SFBB)?

  Safer Food, Better Business is a free food safety management pack from the Food Standards Agency for small food businesses. It gives you ready-made safe methods and a daily diary, which together meet the legal need for procedures based on HACCP principles.

Health and safety

• What does COSHH stand for?

  COSHH stands for the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. It requires employers to assess the risks from hazardous substances, such as kitchen cleaning chemicals, and then prevent or adequately control exposure to them.

• Is there a legal weight limit for lifting at work?

  No. The Manual Handling Operations Regulations don't set weight limits. HSE publishes guideline weights to help spot low-risk lifts, for example up to 25kg for men and 16kg for women when the load is held close to the body between knuckle and elbow height, but these are not safe limits.

• What should be in a kitchen first aid kit?

  There is no fixed list in law. HSE says the contents should be based on your own first aid needs assessment, and gives a suggested list; the British Standard BS 8599-1 describes workplace kits, but HSE says buying a kit to that standard is not a legal requirement.