However, many take their food supply at face value, and don’t realise all the essential steps take place in between farm and fork. In this article, we will define what is meant by the food supply chain and explain why it is so important. We will also look at the different types of food supply chain models and look into management strategies and challenges that manufacturers face.

What is the Food Supply Chain?

The food supply chain comprises all the stages that food products go through during their movement from producer to customers and consumers. Now more than ever, food supply chains have seen a huge period of growth. Whilst this may initially be seen as beneficial to food production lines, it does however mean that the chains inevitably become more fragmented. This makes it more difficult for consumers to easily trace their food to its origins, often with food being transported from all corners of the world, over a long time frame. 

There are certain key stages that appear in the food supply chain, including: 

• Production – This is where the food supply begins at a production level, and where the food is sourced. Whether it is grown or developed, the food will follow local and international guidelines to ensure quality and food safety.
• Handling and Storage – This refers to the preparation and last minute steps that food undergoes once the product has been harvested. This step will occur before food is sent to be processed.  
• Processing and Packaging – This is where the food, whether it be from plants or animals, is converted into an edible form. Here it is especially important that the food meets all food safety requirements before it is packaged for sale and distribution. 
• Distribution – This is where, once the food is edible, it is transported and distributed to the necessary retail or supplier.
• Retailing – This is the process used to deliver the products from suppliers to consumers, and involves everything from obtaining the food to selling it on. 
• Consumption – This takes place once the customer purchases a food from a retailer.

 Types of Food Supply Chain

There are 6 models of food supply chains, but they all fit into one of two categories – efficiency or responsiveness. All supply chains will contain both elements in some way, but the main focus will be driven by the businesses supply chain model.

The 6 supply chain models are: 

• Continuous flow –This model is beneficial to use within high demand production as it offers stability. This makes it ideal for manufacturers who make products which do not often change. 
• Fast-chain – These models work well for manufacturers that work with shorter life cycle products as it is flexible and products can easily and quickly be changed out.
• Efficient – In a competitive  market, efficient models are the go-to of all supply chains. They provide high standards at a highly efficient level. 
• Agile – When a food manufacturing business deals with specialty items, they will likely use agile supply chain management because  this allows movement to be increased in necessary cases. 
• Flexible – The ability to be flexible in a food production line is a huge bonus as it allows businesses to meet demand with more ease. 
• Custom configured – This refers to models which are customised. This customisation is set during the assembly and production of the product. It can be seen as a hybrid between the agile and continuous flow models.  

Why is the Food Supply Chain Important?

Once you have an understanding of what a food supply chain is, you may then begin to understand its importance. A solid food supply chain is essential in order to produce food safe products that meet the consumer demand for high quality food. The retail and hospitality industries that buy the products, for example, want to purchase high quality food at a low price from the supplier so they can still make a profit and offer competitive prices. The key to meeting consumer demand for high quality food products starts with a well managed food supply chain, and this will also help to deter problems from arising and causing loss down the line.

Food supply chains are also vital in ensuring food safety and traceability of products, meaning both manufacturers and consumers can easily trace food back to its origins. For manufacturers, this is needed if product recalls or withdrawals are required and for consumers, it means that they can understand the origin of their food and how it has been produced. 

In recent years, people have become more aware of the environmental impact that certain food supply chains may be having. A key takeaway from this is the focus on short food supply chains. There are economic, environmental and social benefits to shorter food chains and the increased connection to where their food comes from, is likely to lead to less waste and increased trust among consumers.

Longer supply chains, on the other hand, result in less understanding of the agricultural processes behind the food we eat, the challenges faced by farmers and the impact of our choices on the environment. In fact, short food chains offer mutual benefits to both farmers and consumers, acting as a model to increase transparency, trust, growth and equity. 

Need a Course?

To learn more about the importance of the food manufacturing supply chain and how to manage the risks involved, take a look at our Level 2 TACCP Training course.

What are the Problems with the Food Supply Chain?

The food supply chain plays a key role in making sure that the food we eat reaches our mouths safely. It is an elaborate system required by the global community to maintain food safety, sustainability and security. Although it is designed and programmed to run without errors, this can’t always be avoided. Whether due to a systems malfunction, human error or cyber attack there is much that can go wrong. 

Just one disruption in the chain, be it short or long-term, internal or external, can lead to shortages, poisoning or increased pricing of products and this will often affect the most vulnerable amongst the population. 

Following Brexit, the farming industry – which is integral to the production stage of the food supply chain –  has seen chronic labour shortages. As such, concern has been raised over a multitude of resulting issues which range from animal welfare, food security, rising food prices and the mental health of workers. This is a key example of how legislations and changes such as Brexit have such a widespread impact with food supply chains often taking the blame. 

As technology evolves, we are able to take a closer look into the complexities of food supply chains, and this is hugely beneficial in allowing communication across various areas of the chain. However, there are still many challenges involving communication amongst the industry as a whole. The supply and food chain are fragmented. Each company has their own unique system based on their roles. Because of this, workers in all areas of the supply chain may face difficulties communicating with one another in a way that suits their different systems. This can result in anything from delayed deliveries, to contamination risk, to food spoilage. 

Technology is an integral part of the food supply chain, and this also comes with risks in the form of cyber attacks. From farm to fork, food is becoming more and more digitised – driven by soaring consumer demand and an inability to keep up based on manual data alone. For example, during the production stages of the food supply chain, technology is used to monitor storage temperatures and much more. If this was compromised, the entire supply of product in these storage areas would no longer be safe for consumption. For more guidance on cyber security in food manufacturing, check out our article here. 

Some more examples of problems that the food supply chains may face are:

• Increased product demand. 
• Restaurants and inventory management. 
• Growing demand and groceries. 

Supply Chain Risk Management Strategies

In recent years, a number of food manufacturing giants have been rocked by unforeseen supply chain disruptions – with the vulnerable areas of their food supply chain targeted. Within the management of food supply chains, to minimise risk, certain areas of production must be documented. For example, these include, but are not limited to:

• The incoming quality of materials.
• Processing methodology.
• Storage conditions.
• Outgoing quality.

Food safety management systems such as HACCP are essential in keeping on top of risks. A food safety management system is the application of policies, systems and processes based on the principles of HACCP which ensures that every possible practical measure is taken to protect consumers from contaminated food. Food safety management is a fundamental requirement for all food businesses within the food supply chain to ensure that the food produced is safe for consumption.

Implementing the plan is much easier if someone from each area and level of the business is represented, as it allows all factors to be considered. Having a food safety management team with knowledge from as many different areas as possible will be of great use. To find out more on food safety management systems, take a look at our online HACCP training, here. 

We hope you found this article useful in understanding the food supply chain, its importance and impacts on our wider society. For any more information, feel free to get in touch. High Speed Training offers a wide variety of courses and resources that can help.

Further Resources:

• Level 2 TACCP Training Course
• What Does the BRCGS Grading System Mean?
• Sustainable Food Practices: Choices & Importance
• Who is Responsible for the Traceability of Food?
• Food Fraud: Product Traceability Template
• How to Accept Frozen Food Deliveries: A Safety Checklist
• 17 Ways to Reduce Food Waste in Your Restaurant
• Level 3 HACCP Training for Catering & Retail

The post Food Supply Chain: Importance & Management Strategies appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

In this article, we will introduce essential food temperature guidelines and an overview of HACCP principles. We’ll then highlight these principles, explore the role they play in adhering to food safety guidelines, and stress the importance of strictly following and sticking to food guidelines when it comes to cooling, chilling and discarding food.

Food Storage Temperatures

If done correctly, proper food storage helps to preserve the quality and nutritional value of the foods you buy. On top of this, it also prevents spoilage. This is beneficial, of course, for your health, but ensuring proper food storage also allows you to save money by making sure food gets used instead of going off prematurely.

Proper storage of food involves keeping your food at the correct temperature. Cold food must legally be kept at 8 °C or below. This is a legal requirement for businesses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Best practice is to keep your fridge below 5 °C, to make sure that food is kept cold enough. You should check regularly that your fridge and any other display units are cold enough.

Looking to Learn More?

Our comprehensive Level 2 Food Hygiene and Safety Training course will cover your hygiene requirements, and provide you with all the information you need regarding food safety systems, ensuring you’re confident in your knowledge of how to store food safely.

You must also be aware of the temperature danger zone. It is the term used to describe the temperature range where food is most at risk of developing harmful bacteria. Food in the danger zone is at risk of causing illness to anyone who handles or consumes it – due to foodborne illnesses such as salmonella. Keeping food out of the danger zone will ensure it’s safe to eat by limiting the growth of bacteria.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) sets the danger zone between 8 °C and 63 °C, and this is the range you want to keep your food out of. This means that food is safest when it is either frozen, chilled below 8 °C, or heated beyond 63 °C. However, for best practice, we recommend food to be heated beyond 70 °C for 2 minutes to further remove bacteria – and to not keep food for long periods of time in the temperature range of 5 °C to 63 °C.

When food is left in the temperature danger zone, bacteria can rapidly multiply. Legislation is in place to guide you to cool foods quickly to avoid bacteria multiplying and to reduce food poisoning incidents. You should cool hot food to the lowest temperature – ideally within a 90-minute period – this is known as the ‘90-minute rule’.

To find out more on the temperature danger zone, check out our article.

How to Identify the Critical Control Points

HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) is an internationally recognised food safety management system that helps to identify, evaluate and control the hazards that pose a risk to food safety.

A critical control point (CCP), is a stage in the HACCP process where it has been identified that control measures are needed in order to eliminate or reduce a hazard. A critical control point differs from a control point as there are no further steps that can eliminate or reduce the hazard to an acceptable level, thus making it ‘critical’, for example cooking food to 75 °C for a minimum of 30 seconds. If a food safety hazard cannot be eliminated altogether, it must be reduced to a safe and acceptable level. An example of a critical control point is the chilled storage of high risk foods, such as ready to eat meat products, like ham.

In the stage of food preparation, some key CCP’s are:

• Allergen labelling: This goes beyond segregating foods, it requires separate procedures and labelling checks to be put into place to ensure absolutely zero contamination. 
• Cooking, reheating and thawing: Again, you should detail specific procedures for each of these. This is especially important where temperatures, checks and equipment are concerned. 

It’s essential for anyone working with food to have a sound understanding of the HACCP principles. If you’re not confident in your knowledge, consider taking a look at our comprehensive course in HACCP Training.

Some further examples of critical control points include:

• Food storage and delivery intake temperatures.
• Pasteurisation.
• Service or display of food times and temperatures.
• The time it takes to cool food outside of the danger zone.

It is important to note that critical limits for cooking can vary depending on the process. For example, in order to cook meat and meat products safely and ensure that food poisoning bacteria such as salmonella have been destroyed, the centre of the meat should reach at least 75 °C for 30 seconds. However there are lower temperature critical limits which may be applied. Though these require the food item being held at a lower temperature for a longer time.

How to Cool Food Quickly

It’s important to cool hot food before you refrigerate or freeze it because putting foods that are still hot or warm in storage with cooled or frozen foods can bring the storage temperature up. If surrounding frozen items partially thaw and refreeze, this can be dangerous and allow for bacteria to grow and contaminate the food. Furthermore, if the food partially thaws and refreezes, this can affect the taste and texture of the food. The concept is similar with refrigerated foods, as the hot or warm food raises the surrounding temperature, and thus the food stored there, leadig to potential bacteria contamination.

There are a number of ways you can speed up the process of cooling food if you do not have time to do so slowly. Examples of how to do so safely are as follows:

• Cover pans of hot food and move to a colder area (e.g. store room or larder).
• Stand them in cold water.
• Add ice to the water you stand the food in.
• Stir regularly while it is chilling.
• Divide food into smaller portions.
• With larger food items such as joints of meat, cut them in half or break them down.
• Spread foods such as pasta or rice flat out on a tray.

Freezing food is very beneficial. It allows us to reduce food waste, prepare meals in advance and prolong the life of food. To learn more, check out our article here. If you follow the rules and guidelines in chilling and freezing your food, you will allow food to last longer and reduce food waste and save money.

Storing Food Safely

When cooling and chilling food, it is essential that you stick to the food temperature guidelines. In doing so you can ensure that the food you have stored is safe to eat.

Cooling Times

You must cool hot food to the lowest temperature possible within a 90 minute period – the 90 minute rule. It is important to cool food efficiently as we know when it is left in the temperature danger zone, bacteria can rapidly multiply. You should aim to cool foods to below 8 °C before placing them in the fridge. Putting foods that are still warm in the freezer or fridge can raise the temperature of it, and thus the surrounding foods, potentially allowing for harmful bacteria to multiply.

Chilling Times

Chilling food properly is important as it helps stop harmful bacteria from growing and contaminating the food you eat. You should store any food with a ‘use by’ date, along with cooked dishes, salads and dairy products, in your fridge. During food preparation you should keep chilled food out of the fridge for the shortest time possible.

When cooling cooked food, you should try to do so quickly at room temperature and place in the fridge within 90 minutes. If you do not have this time, look at the points above on how to cool food quickly. You must check that your fridge is cold enough – it should be 5 °C or below. Be careful to not overfill your fridge, either, as you must allow space for air to circulate and maintain the set temperature accurately. 

When serving or displaying chilled food, the maximum amount of time you can hold it at temperatures higher than 8 °C is 4 hours.

When to Discard Food

Of course, ideally, you want to throw away as little food as possible – leftover cooked food can be kept for three days in the fridge. You must be sure to eat the food within that time – the sooner the better, in fact, as the longer it is left, the risk of food poisoning increases.  If you don’t think you’ll be able to eat the leftovers within the three days, you should freeze them as soon as they have cooled after the initial cooking time. You should dispose of any spoiled food as soon as the time passes for it being safe to eat.

There are two key ways you can dispose of spoiled food. Firstly, all food waste except liquids and fats can be recycled by your council (or at your workplace, by the waste contractor). Secondly, a lot of food can be composted at home. This is a free and easy way to sustainably throw away any leftovers or scraps that do not get used. The following are examples of things you can compost:

• Fruit and vegetable scraps. 
• Stale or mouldy bread, crackers and cereal. 
• The liquid from canned fruit and vegetables.
• Old herbs and spices. 
• Tea and coffee grounds.

However, it should be noted that you should not put food waste into your general waste bin or down the drain. Food waste that ends up in landfill does not simply rot away – it creates the greenhouse gas, methane. Furthermore, disposing of food waste down the sink is a no-go as it can easily cause blockages.

We hope you found this article helpful, and hope that you can take this information and put it to practice to ensure the safe cooling and chilling of your food. For any more information feel free to get in touch. High Speed Training offers a wide variety of courses and resources that can help.

Further Resources:

• Level 2 Food Hygiene 
• Level 2 HACCP Training 
• What is the Temperature Danger Zone?
• Temperature Log Sheets for Kitchens
• Can I Freeze This and For How Long?
• Health and Safety in the Kitchen Quiz
• Do You Know Which Fridge Shelves You Should Store Your Food On?

The post Safe Temperatures for Food Storage: A Free Guide to Cooling and Chilling Times appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

Many manufacturers work towards, or are following BRCGS standards. Retailers increasingly require BRCGS standards as a minimum – especially for producing supermarket own-brand products. To find out more about what BRCGS do, read Our Guide to Understanding BRCGS. 

This article will outline what the BRCGS grading system is, explain what each of the grades mean and discuss how to achieve them.

What is the BRCGS Grading System?

The BRCGS grading system is used throughout the whole supply chain, to reflect the food hygiene practices of each food business operator. The higher the score, the more likely a company will want to use you as a supplier, and a lower score may lose you business.

The BRCGS Standards are thorough and scrutinise every possible area where food safety could be compromised. The standards are GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) recognised and certified. The GFSI is a global scheme to benchmark food safety standards. If your business is already following a set of standards then transitioning to the BRCGS standards will be easier. However, this standard is more in depth than, for example, the SALSA Standards.

The Standards

The BRCGS create and implement standards throughout the supply chain for the sectors:

• Global Standard for Food Safety.
• Global Standard for Packaging Materials.
• Global Standard for Ethical Trade & Responsible Sourcing.
• Global Standard for Storage and Distribution.
• Global Standard for Consumer Products.
• Global Standard for Agents and Brokers.
• Global Standard for Retail.
• Global Standard for the Gluten-Free Certification Program.

The main, full set of Standards can be accessed for free as a PDF download. However, additional documents such as The Interpretation Guidelines and Key Changes Document will need to be purchased.

A third-party certification body organisation, approved by the BRCGS will carry out the audit. A list of organisations can be found on The BRCGS Directory. A BRCGS audit is an assessment of a food manufacturer’s adherence to the BRCGS ‘Global Standard’.

The Standard that you choose and the one best suited to you will depend on your food business. Additional voluntary modules can be added to your audit to reduce the number of audits a food business operator needs to have for certification. For example, a gluten-free additional module. Additional modules are graded with a pass or a fail. Non-conformances of additional modules are not included in the grading of the ‘Global Standard’ assessment.

Types of Non-conformances

BRCGS audits are graded on the number and type of non-conformances. Non-conformances can be either minor, major or critical, defined in Issue 8 of the BRCGS Global Standards for Food Safety, section 2.3.1.

A minor non-conformance is a small deviation from requirements or where a clause has not been fully met.

A major non-conformance raises significant doubt as to the conformity of the product being supplied.

A critical non-conformance is a direct food safety or legal issue.

What Do the BRCGS Audit Grades Mean?

The grading scale for BRCGS audits goes from AA as the highest to Uncertified in the order: AA, A, B, C, D, Uncertified. An unannounced audit will have a ‘+’ after the grade, for example, AA+.

Companies who choose to participate in the unannounced BRCGS audit are electing to be challenged at a higher level, and show confidence in their day-to-day food safety culture and procedures. An unannounced audit means that the auditor may arrive at your facilities at any time after a certain date, so you must be ready at all times. Often, food manufacturers start with an announced audit before going onto an unannounced audit.

The number and types of non-conformances will objectively determine the grading. The criteria for each grade are as followed:

• An AA grade has no more than 5 minors.
• An A is between 5 and 10 minors.
• A B is given for an audit with 11 to 16 minors, or 1 major and up to 10 minors.
• A C is given for an audit with 17 to 24 minors, or 1 major and up to 16 minors, or 2 majors and up to 10 minors.
• A D is between 25 and 30 minors, or 1 major and up to 24 minors, or 2 majors and up to 16 minors.
• An Uncertified grade is given if the audit has 1 or more critical, 31 or more minors, 1 major and 25 or more minors, 2 majors and 17 or more minors, or 3 or more majors.

The frequency of your next audit will then depend on the result you achieve. Non-conformances identified in the audit report are required to be addressed and corrected within 28 days of the audit.

How Do I Achieve the BRCGS Grades?

Some manufacturers worry that an unannounced audit will achieve a lower grade than an announced audit. If a manufacturer has a strong food safety culture, good manufacturing practices (GMP) and an internal audit system in place, the food business operator should be confident in being audited on any given day.

Need a Course?

Take a look at our course library where you can find Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), HACCP and TACCP Training.

Some manufacturers prefer an unannounced audit as it is a better reflection of their food safety practices, and will often look for suppliers who also opt for an unannounced audit. When choosing suppliers based on their BRCGS audit grade, some manufacturers may put extra weighting towards an unannounced audit grade – for example, preferring a B+ (unannounced) to an A (announced).

The minimum BRCGS grade needed will depend on which retailer a manufacturer is supplying to. Improving your BRCGS grade may open doors to more retailers which were previously closed.

For example, a ready meal company may be able to sell their brand of ready meal in ASDA with a lower BRCGS grade. If that ready meal business then achieves an A+, they might now be eligible to sell their products in M&S, under the M&S own brand and other supermarket own brands.

Whether you are working towards BRCGS or not, we hope you found the above information useful. Should you wish to discuss your business needs further, or would like to know more about how our training can help you, please contact our friendly, helpful sales and support teams on 0333 006 7000 or email sales@highspeedtraining.co.uk.

Further Resources:

• HACCP Training Courses
• Our Guide to Understanding BRCGS
• Food Packaging Materials: Regulations & Different Types
• Cyber Security in Food & Drink Manufacturing: BRCGS Standards
• Vegan Food Production: Guidance on Manufacturing Practices
• Cyber Security in Food & Drink Manufacturing: BRCGS Standards

The post What Does the BRCGS Grading System Mean? appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

This article covers the following:

• What are Food Contact Materials?
• How Do I Comply With Food Safe Packaging Regulations?
• What Does the Food Safe Logo Mean?
  • Do Food Contact Materials Approved by the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) Meet GB and EC Regulations?
  • Machinery and Food Contact Material Regulations
• Will the Food Packaging Regulations Change After Brexit?
• Considerations when Choosing Food Safe Packaging
• Types of Packaging Materials for Food
  • Food Grade Plastic

Use the links above if you’d like to jump to a certain section of the article.

What are Food Contact Materials?

Food contact materials are materials that are intended to be, already in contact with, or can reasonably be expected to be, brought into contact with food. These can be obvious, such as a glass jar, or less obvious like a kettle, water pipes, beer taps, food mixing machinery or a coffee machine.

Restaurants and hospitality food premises looking to provide meal and drink kits, takeaway delivery and sell online now must consider the packaging types and materials for food that would previously have been served on a plate and in glasses.

A food safe contact material meets the criteria of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) legislation. In order to keep food safe, there are restrictions on the type of packaging that can be used ‘for food contact’. If a food contact material is not tested for food safety or does not meet the requirements, then there may be a risk to consumer health through the migration of harmful chemicals. Migrating chemicals from packaging could also change the taste and smell of the food product.

The risk to food safety from food packaging and choosing approved suppliers must be considered when putting together a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan.

Need a Course?

High Speed Training provide online Level 2 & Level 3 HACCP Training to help you put together your HACCP plan.

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How Do I Comply With Food Safe Packaging Regulations?

Food safe packaging and contact materials must be used by all food businesses to comply with the Food Safety Act 1990, which requires all food businesses to not ‘treat food in any way which means it would be damaging to the health of people eating it’.

The GB legislation ‘The Materials and Articles in Contact with Food Regulations 2012’ implements a number of EU regulations. Framework Regulations EC 1935/2004 specifically requires that food contact materials must not release their constituents into food at levels harmful to human health or change food composition, taste and smell in an unacceptable way.

• Ceramics – ceramics have limits for the amount of lead and cadmium allowed to migrate into food. To reduce the risk of sourcing ceramics which exceed these limits, you should source your ceramics from inside the EU and UK as suppliers are more likely to comply with the Framework Regulations.
• Water pipes – lead in water pipes and soldering has been banned in the UK for more than 25 years, however, it must be a consideration, especially if your house was built before 1970 and you are producing food from home. (For more information on how to sell your food to the public, read our article on ‘How to Start a Food Business From Your Home’)
• Brass fittings – brass is an alloy that can have lead added during manufacturing. When sourcing brass fittings, it is important you clarify to your supplier that you intend to use them in a food or drink application.

Want to learn more about food packaging? We offer a range of online training courses and, whilst our Level 2 Food Hygiene and Safety for Catering course will cover your hygiene requirements, our Starting a Home Food Business course goes into depth on the importance of safe food handling practices in your kitchen. Helping you learn how to write your business plan and how to get your products to your customers.

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What Does the Food Safe Logo Mean?

The Framework Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 requires food contact materials to either be marked with the words “for food contact” or the food safe logo, unless it is obvious that the contact material is for food contact.

The food safe logo is recognised and used internationally to indicate that the material is considered safe for food contact. Food safety assurance is given to packaging materials which are free of any toxic contaminants and will not potentially become a source of toxic contamination through use. You may see this logo on food and water containers, packaging materials and cutlery. The symbol is more important on materials that are ambiguous as to whether the container could be used to hold food.

The food safe logo does not ensure food safety under all conditions, as the food safe logo only covers food safety from carcinogens. For example, some packaging materials should not be used to hold hot food. It is important to check the packaging specification for the intended use of the material and have good communication with your supplier about how you intend to use their product.

Larger manufacturers who comply with additional GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) standards, such as BRCGS or IFS, will have additional requirements for the safety verification of the materials.

Plastic Resin IDs indicate the composition and recyclability of the plastic and do not communicate the food safe properties of the material. Therefore, the food safe logo is also needed.

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Do Food Contact Materials Approved by the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) Meet GB and EC Regulations?

FDA approval does not necessarily mean a material complies with GB and EU legislation. Additional checks will be needed to ensure the packaging meets GB and EU law.

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Machinery and Food Contact Material Regulations

When considering materials and the design of machinery, the requirements of The Machine Directive EC 2006/42 must be considered. The Machine Directive states that ‘machinery must be designed and constructed in such a way as to avoid any risk of infection, sickness or contagion’. The surfaces must be ‘smooth and have neither ridges nor crevices which could harbour organic materials’.

The ‘Metals and alloys used in food contact materials and articles’ guide provides further guidance on the limits for harmful substance migration.

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Will the Food Packaging Regulations Change After Brexit?

The food safe logo will not need a GB specific update as it is an internationally recognised and used symbol. The Framework Regulation EC 1935/2004 requires a food safe marking to meet the traceability requirements which are specified within the The Materials and Articles in Contact with Food Regulations.

The proposed amendments to The Materials and Articles in Contact with Food Regulations have retained the EU regulations. Non-compliance with the EU regulations mentioned within it will result in a penalty. The amendments to this regulation will apply to countries within Great Britain as Northern Ireland will still have to follow EU rules after Brexit. In summary, there are no major effective changes after Brexit to the laws and practices for food contact materials and food grade packaging.

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Considerations when Choosing Food Safe Packaging

When choosing a food grade packaging material it is important to consider the intended use of the product and how your customer may use the product. Consider:

• What food safe material will the packaging be made out of?
• What is the type of food that will be packaged? Will it corrode the packaging?
• Is the packaging still food safe if hot food is placed in it or is heated in the packaging?
• Will the shelf life of the product be impacted by your packaging choice?
• What environmental conditions will the food and packaging be subjected to?
• How will the packaging be disposed of?
• How much will the packaging and distribution cost?
• Will the packaging be stackable and withstand the weight of stacking?
• Does the packaging provide a barrier which will protect the food from contamination and spoilage?

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Types of Packaging Materials for Food

Glass – Glass is a good material for long shelf life foods as it is moisture and heat resistant. This allows you to heat treat the product after filling and it will not let air in providing the seal remains intact. Glass will not react with the food and can be made transparent to view the food inside the packaging. Glass can also be coloured, for example, a brown beer bottle to prevent light from affecting the product quality.

Glass is widely recycled and is perceived as a sustainable material. However, glass packaging will break if dropped or damaged and it is bulky and heavy to transport.

Metal – Metal packaging is usually made from stainless steel, aluminium and tinplate. The properties of food safe metal makes the packaging heat resistant, durable and the material is often widely recycled. Metal cans containing acidic foods may result in corrosion causing changes to the quality of the food, loss of barrier integrity and in turn its shelf life.

Paper and Cardboard – Paper and card packaging are lightweight and low cost in comparison to metal and glass. It is also a widely recyclable and compostable material. However, the barrier integrity of paper based packaging is compromised when in contact with moisture and humidity, making it easier to tear or damage. 

Food Grade Plastic – Food grade plastic packaging is one of the best materials for the food safety and quality of a product. Plastic has good barrier qualities, meaning it protects the food once wrapped from potential contaminants. The barrier qualities of packaging will also impact the shelf life of a product and prevent it from spoilage or reducing in quality which, in turn, reduces food waste going to landfill. Some food grade plastics are also recyclable. 

Plastics in food packaging have received a lot of media attention about their environmental impacts. When evaluating the environmental impact of your chosen packaging type, it is important to consider the energy it takes to manufacture the material. Paper packaging can use more than four times the energy to produce than its plastic equivalent, not including the additional energy used for the distribution of a heavier product. 

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Overall, when removing plastic or choosing a non-plastic packaging material the bigger picture of the environmental impact should be considered as well as the barrier qualities. Food packaging must not be harmful to human health or affect the taste and smell of the product to comply with GB and EU law. 

A food safe logo does not necessarily guarantee food safety in every context and you must also consider how the packaging will be used by the customer. Ask the packaging supplier to provide evidence that the materials comply with the relevant requirements.

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Further Resources: 

• HACCP Training Courses
• What is Prepacked for Direct Sale Food? Free Infographic
• Allergen Regulations for Takeaways and Distance Sellers
• How to Start a Food Business From Your Home
• How to Sell Food at a Market: Safety Guidance
• What Does the BRCGS Grading System Mean?
• Understanding Factors Affecting the Shelf Life of Food Products
• What are the Different Types of Sustainable Food Packaging?

The post Food Packaging Materials: Regulations & Different Types appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

What is the BRC?

The BRC is a trade association which focuses on helping all sectors of the retail industry navigate topics such as the impact of the minimum wage pay rise. They also make a positive difference by promoting the interests of retailers, and they strongly influence current and future issues. In 1996 at the BRC, the BRC Global Standards was first created. It was designed to supply food retailers with a common approach to supplier auditing. In 1998, the first BRC Global Standard was released. Since then, the BRC has worked to support and offer guidance to the food manufacturing sector. It has released a series of Global Standards, known as BRCGS, to assist producers.

Who can apply for BRC membership?

Anyone can apply for BRC membership. There are three types of membership offered – for Retailers, Associates and Retail Insight Subscribers. Membership gives you access to support and comes with tailored benefits. To find out more about the memberships offered, you can view their website.

What is the BRCGS?

In February 2019, BRCGS unveiled a new identity as Brand Reputation through Compliance of Global Standards, as well as a new logo. This reflects how the BRCGS has evolved over the years and how it seeks to help manufacturers, brand owners and retailers maintain faith in their products. Assisted by the BRC, the industry moves to focus on traceability through our increasingly complex supply chains, as well as encouraging awareness and transparency in technological advancements. This focus assists all those who work in the supply chain in the ongoing fight against food fraud.

The BRCGS was the first standard to be benchmarked by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) in its work to create standards in food safety around the world.

What do the BRCGS do?

The BRCGS create and implement standards in a variety of sectors:

• Global Standard for Food Safety
• Global Standard for Packaging Materials
• Global Standard for Ethical Trade & Responsible Sourcing
• Global Standard for Storage and Distribution
• Global Standard for Consumer Products
• Global Standard for Agents and Brokers
• Global Standard for Retail
• Global Standard for the Gluten-Free Certification Program

There are consultancy services available in the industry that will help you get all aspects of your business up to the standard needed to gain BRCGS certification. Indeed, the BRCGS offer training courses designed to help you understand what the standard requires, which could be a good starting point if you want to gain this certification.

At High Speed Training, the standard we are most commonly asked about is the Global Standard for Food Safety and what our customers can do to help their business meet its requirements. We provide a variety of training courses that can help with this such as HACCP, Good Manufacturing Practice and Food Allergens in Manufacturing. They will give your employees the knowledge needed to operate at the highest standard in your workplace.

The BRCGS offer additional products and services through their bookshop, and through running events and conferences. They also run the BRCGS Academy which ensures auditors, certification bodies, sites and manufacturers can implement the standards correctly and uniformly around the world. BRCGS Participate is an online platform of resources and information and is available to all sites as part of the service fee, similarly, BRCGS Professional is available to those who work at BRCGS certificated sites and offers training to those interested in professional development.

Do I need BRCGS certification?

Having BRCGS certification will give you increased confidence in your product and will help open up new market opportunities. You will get access to support, marketing tools, worldwide networks and be a member of a globally recognised scheme.

However, many food manufacturers don’t need to have this level of certification. Usually, certification is led by the customers you have, and whether they request for you to have this standard. Many small or medium enterprises (SMEs) will start with a SALSA (Safe and Local Supplier Approval) food safety certification scheme, as it is more manageable yet still demonstrates a commitment to maintaining standards.

At the end of 2019, SALSA and the BRCGS announced a partnership, aimed at micro, small and medium businesses who look to access international markets, or who aim to grow and develop their product safety and quality. Those businesses which have grown under SALSA can now transition to the new scheme, the BRCGS Start! Programme.

The new scheme offers a clear and logical progression, supporting SME businesses in how to meet the requirements of a fully recognised GFSI benchmarked standard, in a way that acknowledges the achievements they’ve made, and continues to support their future ambitions. If your business is moving towards full GFSI certification but you don’t feel you have the resources to commit to the full program, Start! might be for you.

How do I get BRCGS certification?

You don’t need to be a member of the BRC to apply for BRCGS certification. However, you do need to know, understand and implement the standards, and pass the audit in order to gain certification. There are many different service providers and consultants who can help you achieve this and costs will vary depending on your needs.

Briefly, you will need to read the standard relevant to your business, and you may need to attend a BRCGS Product Safety Management training course. You will need to run a gap analysis on your business and create your team to deliver the standards required. Once you are happy your site can meet and maintain the BRCGS requirements (you can test this by carrying out internal audits), you are ready to choose a suitable certification body who will then come and audit the site.

Following the audit, you may need to carry out corrective actions, with relevant root cause analyses, and plan preventive actions. The certification body will provide the audit report and confirm whether the certification has been achieved. When you achieve certification, it will be uploaded onto the BRCGS Directory and you will gain access to content in BRCGS Participate and BRCGS Professional. The certification requires annual renewal, so you must be willing to commit to continual development of your food safety system, and arrange a new audit before the certification expires.

What Are The Global Standard Requirements?

Each BRC Global Standard has its own requirements to meet. Use the dropdowns below to learn more about each one.

Can I Show My High Speed Training Certificate in a BRC Audit?

In short, yes you can. One of the main objectives from the Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 8 is for businesses to show senior management commitment and the development of a culture of product safety. One way to do this is to implement a cultural developement plan using staff training and staff development. Studies show that when staff understand the impact they have on the company’s ability to meet the objective for safe and quality products, they feel more engaged in the workplace.

Furthermore, sections of the Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 8 require evidence of staff training. For example, for the HACCP food safety team the BRC auditor will request to see documented evidence of the training staff receive to give them the required knowledge. Our HACCP training courses will provide this, and it would be beneficial to download and keep a record of the training content.

You can also use our free downloadable resources to put up in your workplace – posters, information sheets and templates are an incredibly useful tool to help staff engage with food safety procedures. Visual reminders give timely reminders to all staff and can further demonstrate the company commitment to maintaining standards. Take a look at our posters below:

7 Steps of Handwashing

Whistleblowing Poster

Whether you are working towards BRCGS or not, we hope you found the above information useful. Should you wish to discuss your business needs further, or would like to know more about how our training can help you, please contact our friendly, helpful sales and support teams on 0333 006 7000 or email sales@highspeedtraining.co.uk.

What To Read Next:

• Due Diligence in Food Safety
• Industry Insights: Food Hygiene in Waterstones
• Vegan Food Production: Guidance on Manufacturing Practices
• What Does the BRCGS Grading System Mean?
• Cyber Security in Food & Drink Manufacturing: BRCGS Standards
• Promoting a Food Safety Culture: Free Assessment Guide
• Whistleblowing on Food Crime – Do You Know Your Rights?
• Online Food Hygiene Training

The post Our Guide to Understanding BRCGS appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

• Onboarding new starters
• Getting all staff to the same level of compliance and knowledge
• Recognising that staff want to develop and might go elsewhere, but not seeing that as a problem

The Objectives:

• Ensuring all staff are compliant with food hygiene and safety best practice
• Achieving a consistent and high standard of knowledge amongst all staff, particularly those with no previous experience
• Find a training solution that doesn’t drain resources and take up too much staff time

The Solution:

• Invest in staff development as part of a wider goal to create a happy and food-safe culture
• Use an online training tool with full legislation guidance that’s easy to follow
• Acquire supplementary course materials, such as visual reminders and downloadable templates, to support with compliance long after training is completed

Background to Ian Burton-French – Bobbins Cafe Manager

Ian Burton-French’s family trade is in healthcare. At the age of 16, he was gearing up to follow the trade by gaining experience in a nursing home and preparing to study the subject at university.

However, before he could pursue what he thought was his life ambition, Ian accepted a job as a holiday rep to do something ‘a little different’. Fast forward 18 years and it’s fair to say the hospitality industry stole his heart, sending him all over Europe – from resort managing in the french alps to running a family hotel in Corfu. He even enjoyed a short stint as cabin crew before returning to hotel receptions back on home turf.

Following a short career break to see the world, get married, and consult freelance, Ian is embarking on his next challenge: the set up and management of Bobbins, a rural cafe recently opened in North Yorkshire.

How do you identify a need for training?

I find it’s much easier to incorporate training into the planning phase. Whether that is hiring staff for a completely new venture or looking to recruit for an established place, it’s always easier to stop and think: right, what do I need? What will my staff need?

You can then select training based on the needs of the business. If the direction of the business changes, particularly where growth is concerned, it’s not difficult to add to your training requirements when you’ve at least set the foundations.

What brought you to online training specifically?

Online training is particularly helpful in a small business because we don’t have a lot of staff and, therefore, it’s difficult losing a pair of hands for the best part of a day.

With online training, I have several options. If we are quiet, then I have no problem with a member of the team picking up their training on the iPad or laptop and getting through a couple of the modules where they can. Similarly, I’m more than happy for staff to complete the training at home and I will reimburse them for their time. A huge advantage of online training is that you can pause and pick it up whenever you need.

If someone is particularly passionate, online training is a great way to upskill and develop your staff. Bobbins is a small cafe so it is likely the younger ones won’t be ‘lifers’ as I like to call them. However, it’s about taking pride in watching them grow. I want to give my young starters the best possible start to their career so they can learn, be inspired and look back fondly at a job that gave them a good grounding.

Why did you choose High Speed Training?

I’ve used High Speed Training for a long time in previous roles through companies who have supplied the training. It made sense then for me to come straight to you when I embarked upon this challenge, as I’m familiar with the set up and I know it will give me what I need.

I’ve used online training in the past where it’s taken you right back to the start if you pause and come back to it. With High Speed Training, this isn’t an issue – you are able to easily pick up where you left off, so it’s hassle free.

Which courses have you found particularly useful?

For the last few weeks, I have been putting all my staff through Level 2 Food Hygiene for Catering – even the staff who may not be handling food. For the price of the course and the knowledge
it gives them to be aware and safe – for me, it’s a no brainer. It is a negligible amount to make sure staff are maintaining the right standards.

I personally have undertaken Level 3 Supervising Food Safety in Catering & Level 3 HACCP. The training refreshed an awful lot for me and help to cement things I’ve learnt over the years. I also learned new information because things in the industry, especially where food safety is concerned, change all the time.

I think it’s a bit of a problem in the industry that things change over time but you only are obligated to do the training once. I’ve had Level 2 Food Hygiene for 5-6 years but from doing Level 3 it’s clear to see the need to be up to date. There is a lot of value in keeping refreshed so, even though I have the certificate, I would not shy away from evaluating it in a year or two’s time and asking myself if my staff and I need to refresh our knowledge and do them again. I think this should be the case in every food business.

I think it’s so important to be compliant and that involves never missing a step. If the business is legal and compliant, you’re investing in the community, your staff and your business – everyone.

How are you feeling about the EHO audit? What steps do you take to prepare?

People have asked me if I’m nervous and, honestly, I say no because you have to do two things: research and prepare. These are things you should be doing day to day anyway.

For example, the ‘Safer Food Better Business’ should be on hand to document what you need and keep you on track. You should have a list of things you do each day without fail, such as your open/close checklist, fridge/freezer temperatures etc. You need to make sure your staff have done training and, importantly, that they can apply it.

If everyone is using safe working practices, your daily list of chores is adhered to, and your premises is clean and in good condition, then you should never have to worry about an EHO coming in. This standard should be expected in any food business – we should all operate in the same way.

Expert Tip

EHOs are really helpful. Some businesses fear them and think they’re there to catch you out. In my opinion, these are the ones who aren’t sufficiently prepared. If you call your local EHO and ask for advice or clarification on a question you have, they will give help. The purpose of their visit is not to come and criticise, they just want to ensure you run a safe business for the people buying your food.

What were the challenges of starting a cafe from scratch?

If you’re inexperienced the industry is a minefield. When I came here I made a comprehensive list and a timeline of events of what needs to be done. For example,
obtaining a license if you plan to serve alcohol can be a lengthy procedure. There are cost implications and the added stress of having to rely on your local council for the turnaround. So it’s best to preempt things like this that you know you will need and get the ball rolling straight away.

One of our setbacks happened as we were installing the dishwasher. Where we had planned to place it turned out to be a massive problem so we had to start again and replan the kitchen. Up against a timeline and a launch date that’s scary, but it’s much better to constantly audit, be mindful of risks, and find a way to overcome challenges.

Expert Tip

My experiences have set me up to know what to look for and how to solve problems. If you just stick a plaster over things and hope for the best, there may be much worse consequences later on that will set you back more than if you’d just taken the time to step back and reassess when the problem arose.

Some new learning curves for me during this experience were on the catering side: the variety of different options, covering a range of dietary requirements, trends and preferences and also the planning and budgeting – especially with portion prices. However, you can dig deep and find the skills you have learnt along the way to help you. For me, I have plenty of experience budgeting for hotel bedrooms and this is the same but on a different scale. It’s about remembering that and applying it to the new challenge.

There were some locational challenges too. Small villages can find change difficult so it was incredibly important that whoever took on the business was local and could win the affection of the village. Customer service and engagement is really important to me so I instantly set up social media for the business. I grew our followers to 300 in the first couple of weeks by interacting with the community, keeping them informed about what was happening and what to look out for. I was quite overwhelmed actually by the amount of support and well-wishes we have received so far.

What values are you looking to uphold in Bobbins?

I’m passionate about local businesses so my aim is to support them as best I can and reinvest back into the local community. I’m using the local milkman for milk and orange juice, the village store for newspapers, the local butchers down the road in Skipton and so forth.

Staff wellbeing is also something I take seriously. I want them to be happy and I want them to feel like they’re a part of the community. I also want them to feel like they are key to creating it too.

Expert Tip

Creating a good working culture is also important to me, especially where young staff are concerned. They are our next generation and you can learn a lot from them. Everyone has got experience that can be shared and it works both ways, we expect them to learn from us but I also want to encourage them to teach us. I want to create a thoroughly open minded culture in Bobbins.

What Can You Learn From Bobbins?

1. If you’re prepared, you don’t need to worry. EHO inspections shouldn’t be a daunting thing, as the very purpose of the visits are to ensure your business is running smoothly, safely and properly. This should, in effect, be your business as usual. The more you implement HACCP procedures, ensure staff are comfortable with the information and carry out regular checks, then you shouldn’t have any concerns when the EHO arrives, as you’ll be able to demonstrate compliance. Similarly, the EHOs are there to support you and your business – use the extra support and ask for advice if you need.
2. Training isn’t a ‘one off’ exercise. The renewal dates of most food hygiene and health and safety training are advisory. However, as Ian recognised, legislation and best practice change all the time, especially with food. Ian clearly sees the value in refreshing your knowledge, no matter how experienced you are. Similarly, he recognises the urgency to stay up to date in the industry.
3. Invest in your staff, no matter what. It doesn’t matter if your staff are there to stay or if they’re at the beginning of their career. Taking time to develop their skills and knowledge is a great way of fostering a happy and safe working culture.

Further Reading

• Case Study: Health, Safety & Food Hygiene at Whitakers Chocolates
• Case Study: Food Hygiene in Waterstones
• Online HACCP Training Courses

The post Case Study: Fostering a Happy and Safe Culture at Bobbins Cafe appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

The Objectives:

• Ensure staff are expertly trained in their field in order to demonstrate compliance
• Instill a culture of confidence among the workforce when carrying out their daily tasks
• Plan for multiple eventualities and manage risks accordingly

The Solution: Dedicated training plans for each employee, including online course offerings that are accessible, flexible and convenient, with minimal impact on resources.

Visiting Whitakers Chocolate Factory

We were invited to Whitakers Chocolate Factory to see chocolate production in action. We saw first hand the intricate quality and control procedures that are rigorously followed by the team.

On setting foot inside the building, the decadent smell of chocolate weaved with mint hits us immediately and I feel, well, just like a kid in a chocolate factory!

Jordana & Anna from our Digital Marketing Team looking factory-ready

Once appropriately suited and booted, we were greeted by Estelle Willis, Assistant Quality Assurance Manager. Estelle gave us a tour around the factory, giving us a true appreciation for the hard work, organisation and planning that goes into the making of award-winning chocolate.

Let’s find out more about the role of training and the types of problems it solves at Whitakers…

What Risks Are Whitakers Trying to Reduce and Eliminate?

To be compliant, Estelle emphasises the need to ensure all hygiene practices are fully adhered to, that the risks of contamination are completely eradicated and each product is matched with the correct label.

To ensure Whitakers achieves this, thorough Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) procedures must be observed, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) training must be carried out by engineers, in addition to varying levels of Food Hygiene Training, both for Catering and Manufacturing in order to cover a wide range of industry standards.

What Are the Main Challenges Faced By Whitakers?

Being in the food industry, Estelle says the main challenges for the Whitakers Quality Assurance Team are the industry standards that vary between supermarkets and auditing bodies.

In addition to being legally compliant, many supermarkets have their own set of requirements to be fulfilled. These exist on top of the BRC, EHO and Trading Standards obligations.

Estelle suggests that continual questioning and communicating are essential when reviewing ways of working.

How Important is Training to Whitakers?

Estelle doesn’t hesitate to assert the role of training at Whitakers, particularly in terms of helping to ensure staff are comfortable in what they do. Importantly, at Whitakers, the staff are committed to ensuring the new team members have a thorough grounding, which they do by going through procedures together on a regular basis.

I’m actually distracted away from the tonnes (literally!) of velvety chocolate in front of me as I observe the meticulous handling and production of chocolate. I’m completely fascinated by the procedures, the efficiency and the dedication which just seems second nature to the teams I meet as we look round.

Training staff is a priority from the beginning as Estelle explains, all new starters are told it is a requirement. Course information is printed to ensure learners have a clear idea of what’s expected of them and to be used as a reference as they progress through the modules.

With that in mind, let’s have a closer look at how online training solves some problems at Whitakers…

What Role Does Online Training Play at Whitakers?

Estelle explains they use High Speed Training both for learning new information and for consolidating existing knowledge.

Whitakers consistently tries to stay up to date and, as we know, with a range of standards to achieve and the nuances of working in a food business, this is notoriously difficult. Speaking of Allergens Awareness Training in particular, Estelle credits the question elements of High Speed Training’s courses with helping to really cement the knowledge.

Planning for Audits

Estelle emphasised that preparation is a key principle the staff at Whitakers abide by. It’s clear to see from their many accolades that they leave no stone unturned in this regard.

Most notably, Whitakers recently gained an AA+ grade accreditation in the prestigious 2019 BRC audit for the 3rd year running. This is the highest achievable standard and can only be gained from an unannounced visit.

Estelle informs that she is responsible for carrying out internal audits four to five times per month. On top of this, they have strictly scheduled routine checks to ensure systems and paperwork is up to date, they check for repairs and also assess if training updates are required.

Estelle’s top tip for always being ready for an audit is to make sure you regularly question staff while they are carrying out their day to day tasks. This ensures that the staff are always aware of what they are doing and why it is so important. Continually asking staff also means they are prepared to confidently answer questions during an external audit.

What Can You Learn From Whitakers?

1. Preparation is Key. Estelle has shown how planning and commitment to routine checks are an essential part of Whitakers’ successful performance in audits.
2. Check and Check Again. Estelle showed how important it is to continually check and reassess. Even if the procedure you’ve relied on previously is working, always question if it can be done better.
3. Thoroughly Train Staff. Estelle reiterated that trained staff with knowledge are happy and confident to carry out their roles. This is key to ensuring compliance, maintaining a variety of industry standards and it also shines through during external audits.

We had a great morning learning about chocolate production. It was incredibly useful to see how procedures are followed, from inception to implementation, and to understand a little more about how our training contributes to such a fantastic system. Many thanks to Estelle and everyone at Whitakers (my application for Chocolate Taster is on its way!).

Investing in training, continually going through procedures with staff and asking them about their daily tasks helps to keep knowledge right at the forefront of their minds. This, in conjunction with thorough planning and attention to detail, is undoubtedly a winning recipe for Whitakers Chocolates.

What to Read Next:

• Case Study: Food Hygiene in Waterstones 
• Case Study: Food Hygiene in Welcome Stranger
• Online Food Hygiene Training Courses

The post Case Study: Health, Safety & Food Hygiene at Whitakers Chocolates appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

Need Risk Assessment Training?

Our Risk Assessment Training Course is designed to help businesses comply with the Management of Health and Safety Regulations 1999 by explaining how to complete a suitable and sufficient workplace risk assessment.

What is the Difference Between a Risk Assessment and a HACCP System?

There is a legal duty to both complete a risk assessment, and implement a HACCP system in your commercial kitchen.

The Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 is the main legislation for the welfare of employees and others affected by work. Every employer has a legal duty to manage health and safety risks to protect employees and members of the public from harm, as far as is reasonably practicable. Under this law the risk assessment must be reviewed at least every year, and, if there are 5 of more employees, you must keep a written record.

HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points and is an internationally recognised food safety management system that helps businesses to identify, evaluate and control the hazards that pose a significant risk to food safety. It is governed by article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004.

Both your risk assessment and your HACCP system are required by law and there is significant overlap between them. This article will focus on the health and safety of employees in the kitchen workplace. However, there will be instances where health and safety risks could threaten food safety, in which case you would refer to your HACCP system.

Should you want to learn more about food safety, take a look at our article on the differences between food hygiene and food safety.

Does My Kitchen Need a Risk Assessment?

Every commercial kitchen will need to carry out a risk assessment. This will help you identify what risks your employees may face in the workplace, and what you can do to manage them and keep everyone safe.

All kitchens are unique so you will need to consider different risks for different kitchen environments. For example, a large, busy restaurant kitchen may have more hot plates, and so there would be increased risk of heat stress and burns than in a kitchen with fewer hot plates. Similarly, if your kitchen has an uneven floor or is on different levels, it may create more slip and trip hazards.

To help you determine risks in your kitchen, we have provided a step by step guide in this article, along with an example kitchen risk assessment and a free blank kitchen risk assessment template, which you can download and fill in for your own kitchen workplace.

Who Should Complete the Kitchen Risk Assessment?

The employer is responsible for ensuring a kitchen risk assessment is completed. This can be done by themselves, or by another competent person. A competent person could be anyone in the business who has sufficient training, skills, experience and knowledge to carry out the risk assessment process safely. For example, this could be a kitchen manager, head chef, general manager or business owner.

What Are the Steps of a Kitchen Risk Assessment?

Regardless of whether the risk assessment is for a restaurant kitchen, school cafeteria, or other catering business, all risk assessments should follow the same steps. When you write your own risk assessment, follow the steps below but apply it to the risks in your own workplace.

Step One: Identifying hazards

When you start thinking about your kitchen risk assessment, firstly take a walk around the area and identify any potential hazards and risks. What activities, processes or substances do you use that could injure your employees, or cause harm to health? When you are familiar with your workspace it can be easy to overlook things. Ask your staff for their input and learn from their experiences, listen to their concerns and opinions. You could check the accident book to see if there have been previous accidents which might happen again. Remember to also think about long term hazards to health, such as heat stress, manual handling related disorders, and causes of work-related mental ill health.

Ask yourself questions as you go:

• Does the floor near the dishwash area get wet? This might be a slip hazard.
• Are the walk-in fridges and freezers tidy, and is there a safety system in case someone was locked in?
• Are deliveries put away promptly? Can this be done easily, with no obstructions or trip hazards?
• Is the shelving adequate in the store areas? How do staff get items from the top shelf? If they use a stepladder, have they been trained in how to use this?

Step Two: Decide who might be harmed and how

For each hazard you identify, you need to be clear about who might be harmed – this will help you identify ways to control the risk. You don’t need to name names, but think about specific job roles. For example, kitchen porters have prolonged contact with water and detergents which could cause skin irritations.

Your risk assessment must take into account any groups of vulnerable people. For example, if you employ young people in your kitchen, ensure the work they do is not beyond their capabilities, such as lifting heavy pots, pans and equipment repeatedly.

Also think about people who use specific equipment, for example, your ice machine may develop a leak and not freeze ice properly. This could cause a hazard if there was spilled water on the floor causing passers-by to slip. It could also be a food safety issue – if the ice is melting it could cause bacteria in the machine to multiply – this could put customers with ice in their drinks at risk of bacterial contamination.

Step Three: Evaluate the risks

Now you understand what the hazards are, and how people might be harmed in the kitchen, you need to think about how likely it is that harm will occur, and what steps you can take to reduce that risk. You are not expected to remove all risk from your kitchen, but you do have to manage, and reduce risk where you can.

Think about the following:

• What are you already doing to control risk?
• Is there anything else that you need to do?

You will likely find that you already have processes in place to reduce the risk. For example, fans and extractors work to control air temperature, this will help prevent staff from over-heating when working. In this situation, is there anything more you can do to help staff who are working in extreme temperature? Think about providing them with iced water and encouraging rest breaks in cooler areas of the kitchen where possible.

Look at each of your hazards and where your existing controls are not good enough, note down what more you can do to keep your staff safe in the kitchen. If you are looking to understand more about what is involved in a successful HACCP food safety management system, take a look at our Level 3 HACCP Training for Catering & Retail.

Step Four: Record the findings

At this stage in your risk assessment, you should be recording your key findings. The record should include:

• The hazards that may cause harm
• How they may harm people
• What you are doing to control the risks

If you employ less than 5 people, by law, you do not have to write down the findings of your risk assessment. However, it is good practice to do so, and it will be useful if anything changes in your workplace and when you come to review your risk assessment.

Your risk assessment must be easy to read, and the controls in place to reduce risk must be easy to understand, so keep it simple.

If you have identified improvements that can be made in the short term until more reliable controls can be put in place, make sure you write it all down.

Once you are happy with your kitchen safety risk assessment, put it up somewhere visible. Discuss the findings with your staff and make sure everyone understands what they need to do to be safe at work.

Step Five: Review and update

If you do not keep your risk assessment up to date, it will fail to keep your staff safe. You must therefore review your risk assessment regularly.

You should do this anytime something changes in the kitchen, and this will usually be fairly often. It could be that you get a new supplier for chemicals, in which case there may be alterations to how you store and use them. You may receive a new piece of equipment in the kitchen which changes the way you operate – you will need to consider any new risks this brings. You should also refer to accident records, is there anything you could learn from?

If there aren’t any significant changes in your workplace, you should still review the risk assessment at least every year. This will ensure it remains up to date with your working environment, and it will help you ensure your staff have all received training in how to work safely.

Free Kitchen Risk Assessment Template for Catering

We have created an example kitchen risk assessment which you can download and use as a guide for how to fill in your own kitchen risk assessment. Consider the examples, some may be applicable to your own workplace.

Example Kitchen Risk Assessment Template

When you are ready to complete your own commercial kitchen risk assessment, download our free blank template below.

Blank Kitchen Risk Assessment Template

You can fill in this blank template on your computer, or tablet, if you like. Once it is complete remember to print a copy so that you can share it with your employees. Remember to walk around your workplace and consider the risks your staff face, and what you can do to keep them safe, healthy and happy at work.

What To Read Next:

• Managing Mental Health & Wellbeing In Hospitality
• How to Improve Your Food Hygiene Rating
• The Importance of Stocktaking in Hospitality: Guide for Managers
• 4 Common Kitchen Hazards and How to Avoid Them
• A Short Guide to Ventilation in Commercial Kitchens
• Online Food Hygiene Training

The post Kitchen Risk Assessment Template for Catering appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.