COVID-19 is impacting us all. Here at Thinking Food Safety we continue to support food businesses across the county and beyond. Below you will find collated information relevant to maintaining food safety during this time. Training in a classroom setting may be difficult when trying to distance social contact so we have also updated our online training site to provide a better service for distance learning; including offering a 50% discount on all our online courses to everyone. To obtain your 50% discount on any of our food safety and health and safety courses simply use the promotional code 'promo50' at check out. Access our online training page here. www.onlinefoodhygienecourse.co.uk
Welcome to Thinking Food Safety
Supporting food businesses across Essex and beyond.
Headed by Kevin, an Environmental Health Practitioner, you can be assured of a professional service and up to date advice on legislation and good practice principles. Our food hygiene and health & safety training solutions offer vast flexibility from RoSPA approved & CPD certified online courses to RSPH accredited classroom courses.
Our open classroom food safety training courses run in the Southend, Rayleigh & Benfleet areas of south east Essex and we travel to businesses across Essex, London and Kent to deliver food hygiene and health & safety courses to our clients at their premises.
We offer a competitively priced consulting service, plenty of support material online and our online shop makes it easy to identify and purchase your food safety essentials such as thermometers, date labels, colour coded equipment and cleaning chemicals.
We can help with all your food safety requirements!
Supporting food businesses across Essex and beyond.
Headed by Kevin, an Environmental Health Practitioner, you can be assured of a professional service and up to date advice on legislation and good practice principles. Our food hygiene and health & safety training solutions offer vast flexibility from RoSPA approved & CPD certified online courses to RSPH accredited classroom courses.
Our open classroom food safety training courses run in the Southend, Rayleigh & Benfleet areas of south east Essex and we travel to businesses across Essex, London and Kent to deliver food hygiene and health & safety courses to our clients at their premises.
We offer a competitively priced consulting service, plenty of support material online and our online shop makes it easy to identify and purchase your food safety essentials such as thermometers, date labels, colour coded equipment and cleaning chemicals.
We can help with all your food safety requirements!
COVID-19 (Coronavirus)
What can food business owners/managers do?
Update as of 23rd June 2020
The government have today announced that cafes, restaurants, pubs and bars can re-open from July 4th.
Businesses need to undertake a risk assessment and put in controls to reduce the likelihood of the spread of coronavirus. Controls are likely to include social distancing of 2m where possible, but this can be reduced down to 1m when additional measures are in place to mitigate the risk.
Practical control points for restaurants, cafes, bars and pubs to consider when risk assessing their business operation to become COVID secure.
Staff - Ensure staff are fit to work, have been consulted and trained on your risk assessment.
Record (and retain for 21 days) the contact details of your customers for test and trace.
Social distancing between customers – 2m or 1m with risk mitigation such as back to back seating, physical barrier or outdoors.
Minimise self-service of food and condiments – Provide cutlery and condiments when food is served and clean between use. Provide disposable condiments – or clean non-disposable between use.
Reduce contact with surfaces – customers remain seated at their table where possible, do not lean on counter areas.
Encourage contactless payments – locate to adhere to social distancing.
Minimise contact between front of house workers and customers at point of service.
Ensure covered outside areas have sufficient ventilation – open up where possible.
Taking orders from customers - Maintain either 2m or 1m with risk mitigation such as a screen, visor or mask. Use contactless ordering methods such as a table ordering app where possible.
Minimise staff contact with customers – indoor table service must be used where possible assigning a single staff member per table.
Outdoor table service also encouraged – although customers are permitted to stand outside with appropriate distancing.
Adjust processes to prevent customers congregating, at for example the bar. – where ordering at the bar is necessary; customers are not to remain at the bar.
Minimise contact between front of house and kitchen staff – e.g. Food collection points.
Encourage use of outdoor areas for service where possible – increase seating, introduce outdoor service points.
Toilets – provide hand washing, sanitiser and increase cleaning frequency. Signpost good hygiene practice and queue management arrangements. Fix doors open where appropriate.
The above are only some examples of the control measures that may be implemented. See the full guidance at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/restaurants-offering-takeaway-or-delivery
The government have today announced that cafes, restaurants, pubs and bars can re-open from July 4th.
Businesses need to undertake a risk assessment and put in controls to reduce the likelihood of the spread of coronavirus. Controls are likely to include social distancing of 2m where possible, but this can be reduced down to 1m when additional measures are in place to mitigate the risk.
Practical control points for restaurants, cafes, bars and pubs to consider when risk assessing their business operation to become COVID secure.
Staff - Ensure staff are fit to work, have been consulted and trained on your risk assessment.
Record (and retain for 21 days) the contact details of your customers for test and trace.
Social distancing between customers – 2m or 1m with risk mitigation such as back to back seating, physical barrier or outdoors.
Minimise self-service of food and condiments – Provide cutlery and condiments when food is served and clean between use. Provide disposable condiments – or clean non-disposable between use.
Reduce contact with surfaces – customers remain seated at their table where possible, do not lean on counter areas.
Encourage contactless payments – locate to adhere to social distancing.
Minimise contact between front of house workers and customers at point of service.
Ensure covered outside areas have sufficient ventilation – open up where possible.
Taking orders from customers - Maintain either 2m or 1m with risk mitigation such as a screen, visor or mask. Use contactless ordering methods such as a table ordering app where possible.
Minimise staff contact with customers – indoor table service must be used where possible assigning a single staff member per table.
Outdoor table service also encouraged – although customers are permitted to stand outside with appropriate distancing.
Adjust processes to prevent customers congregating, at for example the bar. – where ordering at the bar is necessary; customers are not to remain at the bar.
Minimise contact between front of house and kitchen staff – e.g. Food collection points.
Encourage use of outdoor areas for service where possible – increase seating, introduce outdoor service points.
Toilets – provide hand washing, sanitiser and increase cleaning frequency. Signpost good hygiene practice and queue management arrangements. Fix doors open where appropriate.
The above are only some examples of the control measures that may be implemented. See the full guidance at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/restaurants-offering-takeaway-or-delivery
Experience with SARS and MERS suggest that people are not infected with the virus through food. So, it is unlikely the virus is passed on through food and there is no evidence yet of this happening with COVID-19 (coronavirus) to date.
Coronaviruses need a host (animal or human) to grow in and cannot grow in food, however common viruses such as Norovirus are transported by food and drink.
The virus is commonly passed on:
- directly, through contact with an infected person's body fluids (for example, droplets from coughing or sneezing)
- indirectly, through contact with surfaces that an infected person has coughed or sneezed on
The World Health Organisation (WHO) advises that standard recommendations to reduce exposure to and transmission of a range of illnesses are maintained. These include:
- proper hand hygiene
- cough/cold hygiene practices
- safe food practices
- avoiding close contact, when possible, with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing
Current information suggests that the virus may survive 72 hours on some surfaces. Clearly therefore correct cleaning and disinfection in the food business is important.
FBOs have an important role to play in protecting their staff and customers. They should:
- ensure that staff are aware of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) situation
- ensure that staff are trained appropriately in food hygiene
- follow PHE guidance on the prevention of the spread of the virus including social distancing
- ensure effective supervision of staff to reinforce hygienic practices
- provide the correct facilities e.g. hand washing, toilets, to enable staff to practice good hygiene
- where necessary provide protective items such as gloves, masks or visors
- ensure staff and contractors report any physical signs/symptoms, before commencing work or while in the workplace.
- keep vigilant and ensure that staff are not ill and are fit to work
The government advise that everyone should work from home where this is possible.
Specific people who need to stay away from the workplace due to coronavirus are:
- people with confirmed coronavirus
- people who have been in close contact with someone with confirmed coronavirus
- people who have been to a country or area with a high risk of coronavirus in the last 14 days
- people with symptoms, such as a fever or new continuous cough, whom are to self isolate for 7 days
- people living within a household with others that have symptoms, whom are to self isolate for 14 days
- anyone in an at risk group
- if told to self isolate by the test and trace service
If symptoms get worse use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service to find out what to do.
We have collated the specific advice relating to businesses. Please see the following links:
General guidance for employers and businesses on coronavirus (COVID-19)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/guidance-for-employers-and-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19
Guidance from CIEH on food delivery and takeaway during the pandemic.
https://www.cieh.org/media/4070/covid-19-food-delivery-and-takeaway-guidance.pdf
Government guidance for food businesses on managing coronavirus (COVID-19) including social distancing requirements
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-food-businesses
List of businesses and premises to close
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close?utm_source=d1900837-ccfc-48a6-b6db-fe138150c251&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate
Support for businesses
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-support-for-businesses
Guidance for employees
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-guidance-for-employees
Cleaning of non healthcare settings
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-decontamination-in-non-healthcare-settings
A range of other guidance for the pulic, health professionals and other organisations
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-list-of-guidance?utm_source=57f9613b-f067-4bf4-90bc-3f0549a5d93a&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate
To get the latest government information on coronavirus visit https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
Updated 24-06-2020
Support For New Food Businesses
Are you about to start a new venture opening a food business? Perhaps a cafe, restaurant or catering business.
We can help with registering your business with the local authority, planning your kitchen to meet legal requirements, training you and your staff, supplying food hygiene essentials and getting your paperwork right, ahead of your EHO visit.
Contact us for a consultation from just £125.
We can help with registering your business with the local authority, planning your kitchen to meet legal requirements, training you and your staff, supplying food hygiene essentials and getting your paperwork right, ahead of your EHO visit.
Contact us for a consultation from just £125.
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FIC Allergen RegulationsBusinesses serving unwrapped food (or wrapping on site) need to provide allergen information for those products.
The regulation effects all caterers, restaurants, cafe's, take aways, nursery's, care homes, school kitchens and other food businesses. Find out more about the regulations and how to comply by visiting our allergen page. |
What our customers have said....
"Efficiently planned and delivered the course putting people from a wide variety of backgrounds at ease" - Castle View School
"Relaxed and friendly" - Fishmarket restaurant
"A very good course, I recommend it to everyone" - Elior UK
"Very enjoyable" - Coopers Coborn School
"Excellent communication skills .... He was fab" - Oldhams Fish & Chip Restaurant
"Got everyone involved .... Very good" - Leigh Village Day Nursery
"The course was interesting and informative" - Lancaster School
"The teacher was very helpful" - Roslin hotel
"Made us feel completely at ease and was very helpful and patient" - Castle View School
"Calm and confident manner of the instructor was reassuring" - Castle View School
"Thank you very much for presenting the course on Saturday so well. It was interesting & very informative & will be useful in the future. Thank you again" - Scouts group leader
"Relaxed and friendly" - Fishmarket restaurant
"A very good course, I recommend it to everyone" - Elior UK
"Very enjoyable" - Coopers Coborn School
"Excellent communication skills .... He was fab" - Oldhams Fish & Chip Restaurant
"Got everyone involved .... Very good" - Leigh Village Day Nursery
"The course was interesting and informative" - Lancaster School
"The teacher was very helpful" - Roslin hotel
"Made us feel completely at ease and was very helpful and patient" - Castle View School
"Calm and confident manner of the instructor was reassuring" - Castle View School
"Thank you very much for presenting the course on Saturday so well. It was interesting & very informative & will be useful in the future. Thank you again" - Scouts group leader