Town Hall, Coton Road,
Nuneaton, Warwickshire,
CV11 5AA.
Food Matters
Can We Help With: Food Safety
Use the frequently asked questions (FAQ) keyword search facility.
The FAQs below are some of the most common questions. We have identified some external sites that have very extensive food safety/healthy eating FAQ listings, view links to external sites providing FAQ facilities.
AT HOME, what should I do with refrigerated/frozen foods if I have a power cut or my fridge/freezer breaks down?
Perhaps the first thing to stress is Never taste food to determine its safety! - you will have to evaluate each item separately.....
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Can I run a food business from my home?
Possibly - you will need to seek approval from the council in the following matters:
if the business constitutes a 'change of use' you will need....
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Can you close down a food business that doesn'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 and serious risk to health from the premises. In most cases we prefer to help businesses comply with food safety regulations and trade successfully.
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Do I need to provide toilets for my staff?
Yes - all food businesses must provide access to toilet facilities for their staff.....
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Do staff that handle food have to be trained in food hygiene?
The legal requirement is that a food business proprietor must ensure that food handlers engaged in the food business are supervised and instructed....
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Do you run food hygiene training courses?
No. However, you can view/download a list of training providers who can deliver food hygiene training courses locally. We also provide links in this....
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How can I make a complaint about an item of food I have bought?
Contact the Food Safety Team - every year officers investigate complaints about food, mainly alleging that the food is contaminated (e.g. with....
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How can I protect my premises and food from rats and mice?
You need to do 4 things:
1. Deter them - deny rats and mice the things that attract them to your premises (i.e. food, water and shelter) by good....
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How do I go about opening a new food business in the borough?
If you contact us and tell what kind of food business you wish to start, we can give you information and advice on what you need to do. In addition....
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How does the Council keep a check on the food sold in the Borough?
Officers from the Food Safety Team carry out routine sampling of food on a programmed basis from food businesses in the borough. This is organised as....
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How often do food businesses have to be inspected by food safety 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....
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I have eaten out recently and think that I've been ill because of what I've eaten. What should I do?
If you think that you are suffering from food poisoning you should visit your GP. S/he will assess your condition and probably ask you for a stool....
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I want to operate a food van, what do I have to do?
Firstly, the place where the vehicle is normally garaged or kept must be registered with the appropriate local authority. If the premises are within....
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I want to start a food business in the borough, do I need a licence?
There is no legal requirement for a licence to run a food business. However, if you are starting a new food business or taking over....
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Is it illegal for a shop to have out-of-date food on display?
Not necessarily - there are two date codes that can be used on food:
use by for short shelf life food such as cooked meats and....
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What are the food hygiene laws that apply to food premises?
The Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2006 apply Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004 and Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004, which are European food hygiene....
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What can food safety 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.
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What can you do if you think that the outcome of an inspection or visit is not fair?
Officers will discuss issues with you in a transparent manner, and attempt to seek agreement on any action that might be required. However, if you....
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What checks can I carry out to ensure the food I sell is safe?
There are a number of checks that you could carry out:
check the appearance, quality, temperature and date coding of food that is delivered to....
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What free food safety information leaflets do you have available?
As part of the Food Matters Library, the Council stocks a wide range of leaflets on food safety, healthy eating and other food-related subjects. The....
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What happens after I make a food complaint?
Food complaint investigations involve gathering information, examining or analysing the food, evaluating any relevant food premises and food handling....
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What happens if a complaint is made against my food business?
In most cases you will be visited by a Food Safety Officer who will investigate the complaint with you and then decide if the complaint is justified.....
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What instruction should I give to food handlers in my business?
Firstly, the Industry Guides to Good Hygiene Practice recommend that employees who handle food should receive written or verbal instruction in 'The....
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What powers do food safety officers have?
Authorised food safety officers have the following powers under the Food Safety Act 1990 (FSA 1990):
Section 32
to enter food premises at all....
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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. You should arrange for the food and any surrounding material to be brought to our office and provide relevant details so that we can investigate. An officer will try to determine the source of the insects and provide advice on the best course of action
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What temperature should food be cooked to?
The temperature at the centre of the food must reach a core temperature of at least 700C for 2 minutes or the equivalent. Equivalent core....
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What temperature should my fridge and freezer be kept at?
Under temperature control regulations, refrigerators in food businesses must keep food at a temperature of 80C or below. However, to....
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What temperature should you store food at?
Foods that need to be kept hot should be kept at 630C or above. This temperature will ensure that any harmful bacteria present are....
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What will happen during a food hygiene inspection?
Firstly, the Food Safety Officer will show you identification and explain the purpose of the visit. S/he will then inspect all parts of your....
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What will happen if an inspector finds problems with food hygiene standards at my business?
This depends on the seriousness of the problem. Minor contraventions will result in the inspector advising on how best to rectify the situation.....
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What's the difference between a 'best before' and a 'use by' date?
'Best before' is the date up until when the food will remain in optimum condition i.e. will not be stale. Foods with a shelf life of up to 12 weeks....
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When will my food premises be visited?
Inspections of food businesses are generally carried out at times when they are open and carrying out normal activities. Inspections may therefore be carried out at any reasonable time during the day, evening or at night. In general, inspections are also undertaken without giving advance notice.
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Why do food safety officers visit my food premises?
Food Safety Officers may visit your premises for a number of reasons:
to carry out a routine food hygiene inspection
to investigate a complaint....
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Why do you investigate food complaints?
We investigate food complaints to:
fulfill the duty of enforcing the law on food safety, and ensure food meets food safety requirements
....
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Why is it important to keep raw and cooked/ready-to-eat foods separate?
To prevent cross contamination i.e. the contamination of cooked or ready-to-eat food by bacteria from raw foods. Some pathogenic (harmful) bacteria....
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