UKHospitality launches new guide on good hygiene practices for catering industry

U.K – The Food Standards Agency (FSA), Food Standards Scotland (FSS), and UKHospitality have collaborated to update the caterers’ hygiene standards guide, which is widely used in the industry.

UKHospitality is a hospitality industry group representing over 740 companies across 100,000 venues within England, Scotland, and Wales.

According to UKHospitality, the guide is the only accepted manual on hygiene standards for the catering industry that is utilized by both industry and enforcement.

It is acknowledged by FSA and FSS in accordance with Article 8 of Retained Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004.

“Maintaining our high standards of food safety and hygiene is a top priority for all hospitality venues and this industry guide is the gold standard for the industry to get their advice and guidance on complying with legislation.

“It is essential reading for everyone in hospitality with a catering offering and as the rules and regulations continue to change, it was important for us to review, update and relaunch the guide,” said Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive, UKHospitality.

The handbook provides a uniform and straightforward method for environmental health officials and food company operators, and it is relevant across the entire UK. It offers compliance advice for caterers.

UKHospitality made it a top priority to make the guide functional for all four of the UK’s nations.

“Making this guide work for all four nations was a real priority and I’m pleased that UKHospitality was able to work with both the FSA and FSS to achieve this. This consistent approach should make complying with legislation easier and ensure we continue delivering the high standards our customers expect,” said Nicholls.

The FSA claims that the guide will offer accurate, up-to-date, and understandable advice to assist food businesses throughout the UK in adhering to good food hygiene compliance.

According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), the handbook will offer current, accurate, and understandable guidance to assist food businesses throughout the UK in achieving good food hygiene compliance.

“At the Food Standards Agency, we want everyone to have food they can trust. We want to make it as easy as possible for businesses to do the right thing for consumers, so we were pleased to work with UKHospitality and Food Standards Scotland on the latest update to the industry guide.

“It will provide up-to-date, accurate, and understandable guidance to help food businesses across the UK achieve good food hygiene compliance,” said Katie Pettifer, Director of Strategy and Regulatory Compliance, FSA.

FSS noted that the manual places a strong emphasis on excellent hygiene as a crucial component of producing safe food.

“Consumers reasonably expect their food to be safe and this guidance enables the hospitality sector to ensure that high standards are maintained. Consumers will always go back to a business if they have had a positive experience, if they have a bad experience they’ll not return.

“A ‘gold standard’ is an enabler for repeat business and is to be welcomed,” Geoff Ogle, Chief Executive, FSS.

The publication also provides advice on cleaning and disinfection, pest control, food waste, staff disease, hazards analysis and critical control points (HACCP), allergens, cold storage, and temperature management in addition to hygiene.

In addition, four new sections on food crime, food donation, food freezing and defrosting, and the shelf life of chilled vacuum-packed meats have been included in the most recent version.

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