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?
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:
The World Health Organisation (WHO) advises that standard recommendations to reduce exposure to and transmission of a range of illnesses are maintained. These include:
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:
Non essential retail and leisure businesses premises have been instructed to close and food is not allowed to be consumed on the premises within restaurants, cafes, pubs etc. The government have allowed takeaway and delivery services to remain operational in line with guidance issued on Friday 20 March.
A business will only be in a position to do this if they are registered as a food business with a Local Authority. All foods must be delivered to consumers in a way that ensures that they do not become unsafe or unfit to eat. Planning regulation has been changed to enable restaurants, cafés and pubs which do not currently offer delivery and hot food takeaway to do so. The legislation can be accessed online. The developer must notify the local planning authority if the building and any land within its curtilage is being used, or will be used, for the provision of takeaway food.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) have provided advice for business – ‘How to manage a food business if you sell products online, for takeaway or for delivery.’ 'https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/distance-selling-mail-order-and-delivery
Those venues offering takeaway or delivery services must not include alcoholic beverages in the list if their license does not already permit.
Employers should consider practical and commensurate approaches to minimising staff proximity with public on a risk based approach inline with Public Health England guidance, which may include:
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:
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 for food businesses on managing coronavirus (COVID-19) including social distancing requirments
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 06-04-2020
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 keeping a 2 meter distance between people
- 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
- 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
Non essential retail and leisure businesses premises have been instructed to close and food is not allowed to be consumed on the premises within restaurants, cafes, pubs etc. The government have allowed takeaway and delivery services to remain operational in line with guidance issued on Friday 20 March.
A business will only be in a position to do this if they are registered as a food business with a Local Authority. All foods must be delivered to consumers in a way that ensures that they do not become unsafe or unfit to eat. Planning regulation has been changed to enable restaurants, cafés and pubs which do not currently offer delivery and hot food takeaway to do so. The legislation can be accessed online. The developer must notify the local planning authority if the building and any land within its curtilage is being used, or will be used, for the provision of takeaway food.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) have provided advice for business – ‘How to manage a food business if you sell products online, for takeaway or for delivery.’ 'https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/distance-selling-mail-order-and-delivery
Those venues offering takeaway or delivery services must not include alcoholic beverages in the list if their license does not already permit.
Employers should consider practical and commensurate approaches to minimising staff proximity with public on a risk based approach inline with Public Health England guidance, which may include:
- Taking online / touchment payments instead of cash
- When delivering goods place the order down and step back from the door
- Utilising payment platform features such as ' leave at the door' requests when delivering to isolating households
- Maintaining a 2 meter distance between both staff and customers at all times in and out of the premises
- Limiting numbers of customers entering the premises
- Washing hands (or using a hand sanitiser) on a regular basis and between touching equipment, money etc.
- Use of gloves
- Disinfecting surfaces and equipment between contact and use
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 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 for food businesses on managing coronavirus (COVID-19) including social distancing requirments
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 06-04-2020
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