Information and advice for food businesses

Running a food business comes with legal responsibilities to make sure the food you provide is safe to eat and accurately described. This guidance applies to all food businesses, including businesses that operate from home.

Starting a food business

If you are starting a food business, including from home, you must register your food business with us.

Food safety management systems

A food safety management system helps you identify potential food safety hazards and the controls needed to prevent them.

The Food Standards Agency’s Safer Food, Better Business pack can help food businesses comply with this requirement. The pack includes safe methods, diary sheets and record keeping tools to help you manage food safety.

You should review your HACCP and food safety management system yearly and whenever there are significant changes to your business, such as changes to your menu, food preparation methods, premises or equipment.

Food safety training

There is no legal requirement for food handlers to hold a food hygiene certificate or attend a formal training course. However, food businesses must ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills needed to handle food safely.

If you want to learn more about food safety, there are three accredited awarding bodies for food safety training qualifications: 

• Chartered Institute of Environmental Health 
• Highfield Qualifications 
• Royal Society for Public Health 

Other courses or food safety qualifications are available but may not be regulated in the same way.

Good food safety is essential to make sure that the food you serve is safe to eat. It helps prevent food poisoning. 

When you are setting up a food business, you need to introduce ways of working that will help you set good food hygiene standards. 

Food hygiene

You should have procedures in place to make sure food is handled safely and protected from contamination.

Personal hygiene

All food handlers should:

• regularly wash their hands with hot water and antibacterial soap 
• wash hands after using the toilet, after handling raw food, after breaks, when unwell and after using cleaning products   
• cover any cuts, burns and sores with an appropriate waterproof dressing 
• keep fingernails clean and short without nail varnish 
• wear clean protective clothing and a head covering 
• remove jewellery, hair grips and watches 
• not wear strong smelling perfume 
• report any illness or disease which may be transmitted through food 

Cleaning food premises

Food businesses must make sure that food, surfaces and equipment are kept clean and safe.

Cleaning should involve the removal of food residues, dirt and grease by scrubbing using heat or chemicals such as detergents. 

Disinfection should be completed to reduce bacteria to a safe level. This is usually carried out using food hygiene chemicals or using hot water or steam. 

You should have suitable cleaning and disinfection procedures in place for all food preparation areas, equipment and utensils.

Temperature control

It is important that food is kept at the correct temperature to reduce the risk of contamination and illness. 

Food hygiene regulations require chilled food to be kept below 8°C and hot food to be kept at 63°C or above. 

It is recommended that you monitor temperatures once or twice a day. You can use our fridge or freezer checklist and temperature record form to record temperatures. 

Labelling

Food businesses must provide accurate food information to consumers and comply with food labelling requirements.

If you sell or supply food directly to customers, you must be able to provide information about the 14 regulated allergens.

Detailed guidance on food labelling requirements, allergen information, prepacked food and food prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) is available from the Food Standards Agency and GOV.UK.

Food businesses operating from home

If you prepare, cook, store or handle food at home as part of a business, the information on this page applies to you.

You must comply with the same food safety requirements as any other food business, including:

• registering your food business
• having a food safety management system
• ensure food handlers are appropriately supervised, instructed and trained
• following food hygiene and food safety requirements
• providing allergen information
• meeting food labelling requirements where applicable

More information

You can find more information on good hygiene practice in UK Hospitality’s catering industry guide.