Food hygiene is crucial in running a well attended, pleasant and high-quality establishment involving food. There are many places where this involves being highly cautious; bars, restaurants, cafes, takeaways, food stalls and vendors, warehouses and grocery stores are just a few examples. Without the proper training going into teaching people how to handle food, you would see a heightened rate of food-borne illnesses and other unhealthy conditions.
In years past, food hygiene and safety training courses would take place in a physical location but, now, you can take online food hygiene courses. This lowers the amount of money you need to invest and you can take the class at your own pace. Some people move quite quickly while others like to take their time and, in an online format, you aren’t penalized for this. Green Vision Training Centre has developed a full online food hygiene curriculum with the utmost flexibility in mind. Consider reaching out if you have any questions about what we are offering or to start your education soon.
What is Food Hygiene?
Food hygiene should be foremost in your mind when visiting a new place to eat because if anything is prepared or handled improperly then you are opening the chance for food borne illnesses to develop. Some of these dangerous illnesses include the likes of salmonella, clostridium perfringens, staphylococcus aureus, bacillus cereus and E Coli, just to name a few. Thankfully, food borne illnesses caused by cross contamination and improper handling can be avoided if you take care of the food with the utmost care. This means training your employees and staff the proper standards of hygiene.
For instance, many people follow the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) standards. This involves looking carefully at every procedure being implemented, understanding the potential risks to the health of the public when food safety is done incorrectly, identifying points in your business needing improvement or extra care and teaching your staff how to follow proper procedures. Even keeping records of every minute detail can be helpful. Don’t fall into any bad habits or shortcuts and educate yourself on the best methods to uphold the strictest food hygiene standards so you can acquire the best rating possible.
What are Food Hygiene Ratings?
Food hygiene ratings are meant to provide a quick way for a consumer to know how trustworthy and reliable a place of business is. The frequency of an establishment’s inspection is based on various criteria; what kind of food is involved, how many customers you normally have, the type of people coming to your place, what processes are being carried out before the food is sent to the customer and food hygiene standards or infractions seen during the last inspection. Furthermore, the points you will obtain are based on a few factors:
- The inspector is going to see your current food handling and hygiene standards; involving how everything is prepared, cooked, re-heated, cooled down and stored. For example, you don’t want to be the place storing cooked food next to the raw foods as this greatly increases the chance of cross-contamination.
- They will then take the time to examine the physical condition of the establishment. The inspector will look at cleanliness, overall restaurant layout, lighting and if proper ventilation protocols are met. This is to ensure the physical safety of customers while they are in your restaurant.
- Finally, the competence of which business handles keeping food safe is going to be carefully analyzed. They will look at the processes you practice with your employees and check to ensure each member of staff has the proper training to ensure proper food hygiene protocols are met. You wouldn’t want to have any of the big three hazards attack the customer; microbiological, chemical or physical.
There are a total of five different ratings with the highest number being the best. The higher your points, the lower your rating goes. Each infraction is given points that add up over the course of the inspection. Points totalling above 50 will result in a low food hygiene rating, meaning you have many infractions, are prone to poor food hygiene habits and have had incidents of food borne illness. Fortunately, there are food hygiene courses you can take to ensure your establishment is given a positive rating.
Food Hygiene Rating 0
A food hygiene rating of 0 is the worst score you can obtain, which means you need to spend a substantial amount of time improving all the problematic areas and improving your hygiene protocols. You can change how you keep everything clean and how it’s stored so you receive a score less than 50 next time but you should also see how everything is prepared to be safe. If you don’t do something to improve this score, you will likely see someone’s health put at risk (if you haven’t already).
Food Hygiene Rating 1
This rating is slightly better than a zero but still means you have some major issues and have room for significant improvements. Perhaps you prepare food by leaving it out in the sun or handle your raw food in the same place as cooked food without proper cleaning first. With a score between 45 and 50 you should do your best to improve on all of your food preparation strategies.
Food Hygiene Rating 2
With a score between 35 and 40, you are still well below decent and still have room for improvement and training. There’s a chance you aren’t handling food correctly since you are throwing everything in a pile or you aren’t preparing each meal with the right care.
Food Hygiene Rating 3
This rating shows you are at or above average and are allowing pleasant, safe meals to be consumed here. This isn’t because you are cooking well but are upholding food safety protocols and keeping people safe. You’ll receive this rating if you score between 25 and 30.
Food Hygiene Rating 4
You are almost perfect with this food hygiene rating but you shouldn’t start to get sloppy with your food preparation, handling and care. In order to keep a point rating around 20, you’ll need to ensure you consistently manage your food safely.
Food Hygiene Rating 5
This is the best score you can attain as a food hygiene rating, which means you received no more than 15 points on the inspection but could have also received 0 points. This rating shows you are a top notch eating establishment and will be highly considered among the public. You’ll even receive a sticker to put in front of your establishment to highlight your commitment to excellence.
Where to Get a UK Food Hygiene Certificate?
A food hygiene certificate not only shows you know what you are doing but you also care about the public and ensure the meals you are serving are safe. This can be as a wholesaler or as a fine dining restaurant, but you should always do your best to ensure people are consistently satisfied with your service. Fortunately, Green Vision Training Centre has all three levels of food safety and hygiene courses, so you’re sure to find what you need to guarantee your satisfaction. Make sure your employees are knowledgeable about what is needed to enhance your establishment’s reputation.
Contact Green Vision Training Centre Today!
Doing your best to keep your business afloat can be stressful but it shouldn’t cause you to make mistakes because you weren’t prepared. This is why there are regulations on how to care for food, ways to cook each meal and the best places and ways to store them safely. Green Vision Training Centre is here to help you with these concerns, which is why we offer affordable rates for our high-quality, popular food hygiene courses. Contact us if you have any further concerns and we will swiftly answer any question you may have.
Sources:
https://www.rsph.org.uk/qualifications/food-safety-and-hygiene.html#What%20does
https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/hazard-analysis-and-critical-control-point-haccp
https://www.commodious.co.uk/knowledge-bank/food-hygiene/ratings
https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/food-hygiene-rating-scheme-faqs/
https://www.foodhygienerankings.co.uk/articles/what-level-food-hygiene-certificate-do-i-need