How poor food hygiene adversely affects a food business

Posted one year ago

Is your food safe?

This is the number one question every food establishment our food service should be asking themselves! Food safety & hygiene is an absolute essential, if food is not safe to consume, it can result in illnesses and in extreme cases...fatalities. The smallest amount of contamination can go on to cause food poisoning and severe allergic reactions. With such a huge element of risk, ensuring your food is safe is imperative.

However, food safety despite its seriousness can sometimes be overlooked. Poor food safety & hygiene practices often result in several other consequences, including:

Reputational damage
Product recall
Poor staff morale
Prosecution

But how do you know if a food business practices good hygiene?

That is where the Food Standard Agency's (FSA) Food Hygiene Rating Scheme comes in. It is a government-led scheme that operates in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The scheme was designed to protect consumers from receiving food prepared in unsanitary conditions the standards are to be upheld by establishments such as restaurants, cafés, and other food shops.

Ultimately there are several variables that decide an organisation's Food Hygiene Rating. Businesses are scored between 0 and 5, with the latter being the best, lower scores highlight serious concerns regarding the safety and quality of the food, where and how it is prepared.

If you're curious or want to check you can find a business's results on the FSA's website by simply searching the organisation's name or address.

The importance of obtaining an up-to-date food hygiene certificate In the UK

Obtaining a food hygiene certificate that is visible in your establishment is considered best practice for organisations to ensure that their workers have up-to-date food hygiene knowledge. A food hygiene certificate acts as an assurance to consumers and a reminder to staff of the standards that are to be upheld.

By demonstrating their commitment to good food hygiene practices, organisations build trust with their customers by letting them know food is always prepared safely and hygienically, it also ensures that the business is working hard to comply with the standards expected in the food industry.

Your staff must also play their part to protect consumers and the business

Staff also have a responsibility to renew their food hygiene certificate every three years. However, it is advised that those working with food revisit and renew their food hygiene certificate yearly. This will ensure that staff are refreshed, up to date and aware of any key information/developments surrounding proper food safety, preparation & adequate hygiene measures.

How can you get a food hygiene certificate?

Here at iHASCO, we offer a Food Safety & Hygiene Training Bundle that allows organisations to get their food hygiene certificates quickly, cost-effectively, and efficiently work towards compliance with UK legislation.

Some of the courses in this bundle include:

Our approved and accredited online courses are highly relevant to both the food industry and businesses alike. Each course is easy to digest and can be completed in as little as 35 minutes.

Claim your free, no-obligation trial to any of the courses today! Alternatively, you can request a bespoke quote for your organisation, and a member of our care team will be in touch to discuss your unique training requirements.