The Four C’s of Food Hygiene & Safety

The food hygiene inspectors are visiting your hospitality or catering business:

• What are they looking for? • What does that mean in reality?

Pathway Group and our Hospitality Training Partnership (www.hospitalitytrainingpartnership.com)

have worked with many businesses in the sector, including pubs, restaurants, sandwich bars, delis, cafes and hotels.

In our experience of working with these businesses to ensure they achieve high ratings for food hygiene,

there are four vital areas.

We call them 'The Four C’s of Food Hygiene and Food Safety'.

They are:

• Cleanliness• Compliance• Confidence in Management• Confidence in Staff

Let’s see what they mean for your business…

Your establishment needs to be clean. There are a number of regulations such as TR19 regulations, however the clearest

guidance for cleanliness comes in the ‘Food Standard Agency’s ‘Safer Food Better Business’ Guide’.

In this document there is clear guidance and help, on your processes for a cleaning schedule, clear and clean as you go,

cleaning effectively, hand washing, maintenance, pest control, contamination, personal hygiene and cleaning materials.

Paying close attention to these processes will ensure your business stays on the right side of the Cleanliness element of

four C’s and your food hygiene standards are high.

Cleanliness

When it comes to the preparation, cooking, reheating and storage of food, there are very clear and simple to follow

guidelines. Food safety inspectors are looking for you to have procedures in place for these elements and staff who

understand them.

Once again, the ‘safer food, better business’ guide from the FSA is invaluable and provides guidance for caterers on,

chilling food, chilling down hot food, defrosting, freezing, safe cooking, reheating and keeping food hot.

Compliance

The managers of the business, should have to hand and know well the processes for food hygiene, and cleanliness, and should be able to talk knowledgeably about how staff

are trained and how the business manages its food hygiene and records.

Key areas which fall under the managers responsibility are opening and closing checks, regular extra checks, training and supervision of staff, handling of customer feedback, supplier management and handling and stock control.

Confidence in Management

The application of good process will play an important role in your food safety inspection, but equally as important is the impression which the food safety inspector has of the management:

• Are they in control?• Do they have a clear picture of what is

happening in the business and how food safety and food hygiene is being managed?

Confidence in Management

For many catering and hospitality businesses, ensuring all members of your team are aware of food safety and food hygiene issues can be a

challenge.

They may be part time or on varied contracts, however, without ensuring these members of the team are aware of and following the processes you

have in place, your food hygiene will be in jeopardy.

It is key that all members of staff receive food safety training or food hygiene training. This training can be delivered internally, however in

order to instil the confidence in staff from an inspectors perspective, a structured course is often the best solution.

The impression that the inspectors have of the staff, and their confidence in the staff’s knowledge will give your business the best chance of

impressing the food hygiene inspectors.

Confidence in Staff

Confidence in Staff

For more information on food hygiene training and our wider range of

hospitality training, please:

Visit: www.hospitalitytrainingpartnership.co.uk Call: 0121 707 0550