Food Safety & Hygiene

 

Food & Occupational Safety Section's main function is to carry out inspections of food premises in the Borough and ensure compliance with food safety legislation.  Visits to premises are carried out, as far as possible, without prior notification and are priority programmed according to the degree of potential risk. This ensures that higher risk premises are visited more frequently than those in lower risk categories.

 

During an inspection, Officers will want to reassure themselves that potential food safety risks have been identified by the business, and that there are adequate controls in place to prevent any problems. They will also look at the training of managers and food handlers to ensure that it is suitable, and they will check that the condition of the premises and equipment is satisfactory.

 

Where practices or conditions are not satisfactory, every attempt will be made to resolve the situation by informal means, but where poor conditions persist, or where there is a risk to public health it may be necessary to resort to formal action. This could involve either the service of legal notice, prosecution, or in extreme cases closure of the business.

 

Please click the links below to find out more about our food hygiene related functions:

 

Most businesses serving food should be registered with the Local Authority. Some food businesses also may require further approval or licences from us. These include certain food manufacturers or butchers selling both raw and cooked meats. If you require any further information such as whether you may require further approval or licences, please contact us as per the details at the bottom ofthe page.

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The Section is involved in the investigation of outbreaks of food poisoning and other infectious diseases, which are notified by the G.P.'s, hospitals etc. This work is aimed at controlling and preventing the spread of these illnesses.

 

 

The investigation of complaints concerning standards in food premises, unfit or contaminated food is a further aspect of the Section's work. These are usually resolved by giving advice to the proprietor or manufacturer, but in certain circumstances formal action may be taken, either in the form of a formal caution or prosecution. The section will also investigate other complaints made about food premises such as rubbish accumulations, pest problems, noise or odour.

 

 

The Dudley Food for Health Award has been designed by Dudley M.B.C. and Dudley Priority Health Care Trust to fulfil a need in our Borough to reward catering establishments who provide healthy eating choices, prepared in hygienic surroundings and served in a healthy, smoke-free environment.

 

 

Food & Occupational Safety Section has a wide range of leaflets and posters on food safety and hygiene matters.  please contact us as per the details at the bottom ofthe page.

 

 

The Food & Occupational Safety Team do not provide food hygiene training for businesses. 

 

 

The Section undertakes a comprehensive programme of microbiology and analytical food sampling. Any unsatisfactory sample results are carefully investigated with the intention of giving advice on improvements to manufacturing techniques, or systems of handling and storage.

 

In any given year, over 500 food samples are taken and send for microbiology laboratory analysis. food samples are taken according to any national surveys or our own locally identified areas. Samples are also taken in response to complaints from consumers, or as part of local or national investigations into the safety of a particular product.

 

Foodstuffs sampled are examined by a laboratory for the presence of bacteria that can cause food poisoning such as salmonella, staphylococcus, e.coli Ho157, listeria etc. Ready-to-eat foods, which would be eaten by the consumer without further preparation or cooking, have featured prominently in our sampling programme because any contaminations of the product will have a direct effect on the person eating it.

 

Once the results of all microbiological analysis are known a copy is always sent to the place from where the original sample was taken. Where problems are identified, follow -up action will be taken, either in the form of advice on production methods/practices/controls, withdrawal of the product from sale or formal action, if appropriate.

 

In 2001 the Food Standards Agency issued a document titled the Framework Agreement on Local Authority Food Law Enforcement. This requires an authority to produce a service plan and stipulates what information must be contained in it. The Food Service within Dudley is provided by the Food and Occupational Safety Service and Trading Standards Service both of which are part of the Directorate of the Urban Environment. The Food Service Plan was approved by Cabinet on 12th September 2007 and is available below