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How can I make a complaint about an item of food I have bought?
Contact the Food Safety Team - they deal with many cases of this kind, including foreign bodies in food, mouldy food and food which is not what it claims to be on the label. You will be asked to bring the food to our office and provide details to our officer. If the food is perishable please refrigerate or freeze it if you can't get it to us quickly.
What should I do if I find insects in my food?
Insects can get into food at the production stage, before it is packaged, in the retailer's shop or in your own home. Bring the food into our office and provide details to our officers. An officer will try to determine the source of the insects and provide advice on the best course of action.
How to avoid food poisoning during barbecues (BBQ) and summer events?
Raw meats such as burgers, sausages and chicken can carry food poisoning bugs. If raw meats aren't cooked properly, if they come into contact with ready to eat food or if they contaminate surfaces and equipment used to prepare food that won't be cooked, you risk causing illness.
More information on preventing food poisoning
What can Environmental Health Officers do about a case of food poisoning?
In single cases of food poisoning, officers can offer advice about the possible sources of the illness and ways it can be avoided.
Where there are a number of cases of the illness, officers will investigate to determine if there is a common link to water, food or another source and seek to reduce the risk to other members of the public.
What is food poisoning and how can I avoid it?
Information on food poisoning
Information on preventing food poisoning
What temperature should you store food at?
Foods that need to be kept hot should be kept at 63°C or above.
Foods that need to be kept cold should be kept at 8°C or below (preferably at 5°C or below).
Foods that need to be kept frozen should be kept between -18°C to -24°C.
The Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2006
Do staff that handle food have to be trained in food hygiene?
In general all food handlers have to be trained. The level of training required depends on the nature of their duties. Staff that handle ready-to-eat foods (for example, sandwiches) would require training equivalent to the Foundation Certificate in Food Hygiene
Does Runnymede have a food sampling programme?
Yes. Each year Runnymede Borough Council publishes its annual food sampling programme. This targets suspected problems areas, and incorporates into our local work, wider EU, UK or London-wide food surveys in which we actively participate. The annual food sampling programme also summarises the findings of the previous years sampling work.
How can I control the quality and safety of my food to prevent poor sampling results?
- Identify all steps in your activities which are critical to food safety;
- Put adequate safety controls in place;
- Adequately train all staff in food hygiene;
- Wash hands thoroughly before handling food, and again between handling raw and cooked foods, and after visiting the toilet;
- Clean all equipment, utensils and preparation surfaces thoroughly;
- Keep cooked and raw foods separate during preparation and storage;
- Wash salads thoroughly;
- Use food within its use-by-date and promptly use foods you have already prepared;
- Keep food covered;
- Never use raw eggs in food which is not going to be cooked e.g. mayonnaise, tiramisu;
- Keep animals out of food preparation areas;
- Use a thermometer to monitor temperatures and disinfect the temperature probe each time that it is used;
- Cook food thoroughly (centre temperature more than 70ºC for 2 minutes) and serve. If hot-holding keep above 63ºC;
- Re-heat food to at least 75ºC;
- Ensure any food requiring refrigeration is kept below 8ºC and not left out for long periods;
- When preparing food in advance, ensure it is cooked thoroughly, cooled rapidly and stored in the 'fridge;
- Avoid using left-overs.
What is the difference between formal and informal samples?
Food samples are either taken formally or informally. The main difference is that only formal samples may be used in any legal action.
Microbiological samples are usually always taken as formal samples, but there is no requirement to divide these into three.
Whether the samples are taken formally or informally all samples are handled in accordance with Codes of Practice which gives procedures of handling, storage, temperature and transportation. This ensures samples are not compromised prior to examination / analysis.
Who pays for the sampling?
- The law says that the Council with or without payment may take samples. The decision on whether to pay or not will be made by the Council. A receipt will be given for all samples taken.
- The analysis / examination will be undertaken at the Council's expense.
- Any additional analysis / examination undertaken by the proprietor will be at the proprietor's expense.
Why was my business chosen to be sampled?
We choose based on one or more of the following criteria:
- as part of surveillance work on a specific food or type of premises;
- because we have received a complaint;
- because there has been a food poisoning outbreak or notification;
- to support a food hygiene or food standards inspection.
The fact that a sample has been taken does not necessarily mean that the law has been broken.
Can I run a food business from my home?
You may need to obtain planning permission.
You may need to register as a food business. Your home must also comply with the same food safety standards as any food premises, and be inspected by Food Safety officers.
For information on running a food business
Can the Council close down food businesses which don't comply with hygiene standards?
Yes, but conditions in the business have to be very poor, e.g. very dirty premises or a serious pest infestation, and we have to prove in Court that there is a real risk to health from the premises. In most cases we prefer to help businesses comply with the regulations and trade successfully.
How does the Council keep a check on the food sold in the Runnymede?
Officers from the Food Safety team carry out routine sampling of food on a programmed basis from food businesses in the Borough. Samples are tested to see if the ingredients match the label, if they contain any non-permitted additives or if they contain dangerous bacteria. If a product is found not to comply with standards we can insist on it being removed from sale.
How often do food businesses have to be inspected by Environmental Health officers?
It depends on the risk associated with the particular business, which in turn depends on the kind of business (e.g. a restaurant poses a higher potential risk than a shop selling only packaged food) and the condition of the business itself as assessed by the inspector at every visit.
Inspection intervals range from every six months (highest risk) to every five years (lowest risk).
I have become ill after eating at a local restaurant - what should I do?
Information if you have become ill from eating out.
I live above a restaurant and the smell of cooking is often so bad in my flat it makes me feel ill - what can I do?
Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 businesses are obliged not to cause a nuisance in neighbouring properties. Contact us to arrange for an officer will visit and assess the situation. If necessary we can make the restaurant install ducting and/or filters.
I want to start a Food Business in Runnymede- what do I have to do?
For information on running a food business
Is it illegal for a shop to have out-of-date food on display?
Not necessarily - what matters is the condition of the food when it is sold. Some date marking is only for guidance ('Best Before') but food which is past its 'Use By' date should not be eaten. The best advice is 'if food is out of date, don't buy it' and if a shop consistently displays out-of-date food, shop elsewhere!
The corner shop I use is not very clean or tidy - can the Council send someone round to inspect it?
Inspections are programmed according to risk. In order to direct resources where they are most needed, visits outside the inspections programme will usually only be made if there is a risk to health. Customers themselves have power in this situation - they can shop elsewhere!
What happens during food safety inspections?
All food businesses in the Borough are inspected on a regular basis to ensure that the food sold to the public is safe to consume. The frequency of these inspections depends upon the potential risk posed by the type of business and its previous record. Some premises might be inspected at least every six months, others less often.
The purpose of an inspection is:
- to ensure that food is being handled and produced hygienically
- to ensure that food is safe to eat
- to look at the potential risk for food poisoning or injury as a result of food consumed
- to ensure that the food handling staff are trained in food hygiene and handling
- to inspect the condition of equipment and the premises
- to ensure there are precautions to prevent pest infestation
- to ensure that staff are aware of the importance of personal hygiene
Inspectors will look at the operation of a food business to identify potential hazards and to ensure they are following the law. If problems are identified during the inspection, inspectors can take enforcement action to protect the public. This can include:
- taking samples and photographs of food and inspecting business records;
- writing to the proprietor informally, asking them to rectify any problems;
- serving an 'improvement notice' if the proprietor is breaking the law, which clearly states what the problem/offence is, what must be done to put it right and the time period for compliance. Failure to comply with the notice is an offence which will normally result in a prosecution;
- serving an 'emergency prohibition notice' which forbids the use of premises or equipment;
- recommending a prosecution in serious cases.
If a prosecution is successful, the court may prohibit the business from using certain processes, premises or equipment, or the offender could be banned from managing a food business. It could also lead to a fine or imprisonment.
What is your policy on enforcement?