How to 'Guarantee a ‘Five-Star’ Food Hygiene Rating

Every day at Nansen Green Catering Consultancy our HACCP qualified food safety practitioners help food businesses raise their safety standards and Food Hygiene Ratings. Through years of experience working in the industry and our local authority connections we would like to share our insider tips to help your business gain and maintain a coveted 5 Food Hygiene Rating.

Follow our insider tips and your business will be on the way to achieving the foundations to a successful and thriving business. If you require a bit of advice or indeed a helping hand from our Food Hygiene Ratings experts, get in touch, we will be able to fast track your 5 Star Food Hygiene Rating.

Remember to achieve a 5 Food Hygiene Rating the EHO will be assessing three criteria:

1. Food hygiene compliance - how food is handled, cooked and stored

2. Structural compliance - cleanliness and building condition and its facilities

3. Confidence and management - management measure taken to maintain hygiene standards

Remember……..

Your Food Hygiene Rating is visible online for anyone to check and from next year the government is planning to make it a legal requirement to display your businesses Food Hygiene Rating sticker.

Insider Top Tips - to a 5 Star Food Hygiene Rating

1. Preparation

Cross contamination - this is a common cause of food poisoning and usually occurs when raw and ready to eat foods preparation processes cross over

Washing raw foods in the kitchen can result in cross contamination and cause catastrophic problems if not controlled. Having separate sinks for different uses is one option but if this isn’t feasible, plan the day so ready-to-eat foods are washed first, then raw vegetables and then thoroughly sanitise surfaces and sinks before preparing ready to eat foods or washing dishes.

Insider Top Tip - Have separate time slots for washing up and food prep and stick to them and ensure cleaning and sanitising procedures are documented.

When it comes to the actual food preparation it is advisable to separate the kitchen into different areas to ensure raw and ready to eat foods are kept separate. If the kitchen is large enough, split it into separate work areas such as raw meat, raw fish, raw vegetables and ready-to-eat preparation. Using the same preparation space for raw and ready-to-eat foods can cause cross-contamination.

Insider Top Tip - Plan raw meat preparation first thing in the morning followed by a thorough clean and sanitise of the area and equipment before starting the next task.

Chopping boards- wooden or plastic?

Wooden chopping boards have been used for hundreds of years in catering establishments however they are no longer a recommended surface within the catering industry. This is because wood isn’t compatible with heat sterilisation or washing in a commercial dishwasher, the preferred and easiest way of disinfect by heat. The go to chopping boards are now made from high density plastic, resistant to heat and splitting and are less likely to harbour dirt and bacteria. New pending legislation regarding microplastics in food may however result in wooden chopping boards returning to commercial kitchens.

Insider Top Tip - Make sure catering staff know their colours. A common mistake made and picked up by EHO’s is when staff use the incorrect board for the job, mistaking salad (ready to eat) and raw vegetable boards is the most common mistake noted.

Leaving ready to eat foods in the “Danger Zone” for too long.

Kitchens are usually hot and its not unusual for +30°C ambient temperatures to be experienced. It is essential not to leave prepared foods out and in the “Temperature Danger Zone” for longer than necessary. Keep foods cold (below 8°C) or hot (above 63°C) and never in the “Danger Zone”.

Insider Top Tip - When preparing foods either chill or cook straight away and document temperatures.

2. Cooling

Can I cook foods and then cool them down to reheat later?

A successful catering operation is an organised one and there are occasions and when preparing and cooking ingredients in advance and then cooling them down until required. Cooling food too slowly can result in bacteria multiplying to dangerous levels potentially resulting in a food poisoning incident.

Insider Top Tip - The secret for compliance is cooling foods quickly to below 8°C within 90 minutes; using a blast chiller is the preferred method or alternatively separating cooked foods into smaller portions or cool in a bath of ice. Most importantly documenting this process demonstrates you understand the dangers and that you have controlled the hazards.

3. Storage

The most common mistake is storing raw foods with ready-to-eat foods - a common reason for losing out on a 5 Star Food Hygiene Rating

Remember raw foods include raw meat and fish, it also includes unwashed and raw vegetables as they can be contaminated with E. coli and many other bacteria. A storage system in the kitchen can eliminate any potential cross contamination of raw with ready- to-eat.

Refrigeration Storage Hierarchy

Top

Ready to Eat Foods

Foods which need no further process before they are eaten eaten

Prepared Foods

Washed salads and vegetables, food items needing reheating

Unwashed and Unprepared Foods

Unwashed salad and vegetables, eggs

Raw Foods

Raw meat and raw fish

Bottom

Incorrect labelling and storage of prepared foods and opened manufactured foods is a major concern.

All foods items must be correctly labelled with either a “use by” or “best before” date. When you open a manufactured food you must observe the manufacturers storage instructions and put your own date label on.

Insider Top Tip - When preparing perishable ready to eat foods the general rule of thumb is to allow 2-3 days shelf life including the date of production.

Always store food products off the floor (to make cleaning easier) and in lidded containers or storage bins to prevent spillages, spillages will attract pests. Don’t neglect deliveries, if these arrive before the catering team make sure racking is provided for deliveries to keep food off the floor and covered to prevent rodents, squirrels, foxes and birds getting access.

4. Cleaning and Pest Control

Low Food Hygiene Rating scores are often due to poor cleaning standards

Don’t wait for the EHO do discover the accumulation of dirt behind the cooking range or under the work benches, invest in a strong torch to check dark hidden places. Also make sure any damage or structural defects are dealt with promptly. Cleaning standards often fall when cleaning is left to the staff’s discretion, in many kitchens the work surfaces are cleaned however look closer and the hard to reach or partially hidden areas are usually neglected.

Insider Top Tip - Keeping a cleaning schedule in place is an easy way to make sure routine cleaning jobs take place and the standard of cleaning in your kitchen is consistent, and get staff to sign off their cleaning duties. A cleaning schedule should form part of your kitchen’s Documented Food Safety System.

Remember….. a third of your Food Hygiene Rating score are for cleanliness and and structure.

Pest controls - do it yourself or use a professional?

All businesses that serve food need a thorough and well managed pest control system. Pests are attracted into your premises due to warmth, shelter, food and water and it is therefore it is vital regular pest checks and cleaning takes place to make your kitchen less favourable to pests.

Insider Top Tip - Having an active and uncontrolled pest infestation will guarantee your business a big fat “ZERO” Food Hygiene Rating. This is because pests, including, mice, rats and cockroaches are a source of microbiological contamination and a major risk to the safety of your customers.

Hand washing mistakes

Correct handwashing facilities are essential to ensure kitchen staff have clean hands, preventing cross contamination and the spread of harmful bacteria. Keeping a clean handwash basin with hot and cold water, antibacterial soap or blue roll to dry hands is vital. Always ensure the disposable paper towel is kept in a dispenser.

Insider Top Tip - If using disposable food preparation gloves be sure to observe hygiene rules, these gloves still get dirty and can harbour bacteria. Hands with or without gloves need washing regularly especially after handling raw foods and before handling foods that are ready to eat. And always ensure staff wash their hands before and after using food gloves.

Disposable or reusable cloths?

Dish cloths can harbour six times more bacteria than toilet handles and six out of 10 dishcloths harbour life-threatening bacteria such as E. coli. Always use disposable cloths when cleaning and then follow up with disposable blue paper towel and sanitiser to effectively disinfect food work surfaces.

Insider Top Tip - Not all cleaning and sanitising chemicals are suitable for use in the kitchen or reducing bacterial levels, make sure yours meet the BS EN 1276 or BS EN13696 standards.

5. Staff training, management and record keeping

We can’t afford to spend time and money on training staff

Make sure staff training is up to date, to the correct level and the training links to the aspects of your HACCP and documented food safety management system. Training staff how to prepare food safely through an accredited training provider is recommended. If catering staff are not trained to the level required for their position a 5 Food Hygiene Rating will be difficult to achieve. A class room based certificated training course with an examination will be far more effective than an on-line (box ticking) course, especially when it comes to protecting your customers and business reputation from harm.

Insider Top Tip - Always follow up formal training with refreshers during staff meeting or by correcting practices on the job, document these actions to demonstrate your team in up to speed.

Environmental Health Inspectors awarding a 5 Hygiene Rating are looking for catering staff who demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of food safety and a business which displays confidence in food safety management.

Insider Top Tip - Catering operators will not get a Level 5 Food Hygiene Rating unless your catering staff can demonstrate a good understanding of the process associated with HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) which include:

 knowing your businesses food safety hazards

 knowing how to control and monitor food safety hazards

 understanding and following critical temperature limits for storage, cooking and chilling

 keeping written records to provide your business with a “Due Diligence Defence”

The biggest mistake - no food safety documentation

Your business will not be able to get a 5 Food Hygiene Rating without displaying “Confidence of Management” to the Environmental Health Inspector. The best way to demonstrate this is by having a comprehensive and well designed record keeping system based on HACCP which all the catering team are familiar with. A Documented Food Safety Management System should include:

 Refrigerator/freezer temperature checks

 Food temperature logs

 Cleaning schedule

 Training records with certificated food safety qualifications from a recognised provider

 HACCP tailored you your business

Need a Helping Hand? - If you are not confident your systems are up to the EHO’s scrutiny or needs an overhaul why not contact Nansen Green Catering Consultancy. Our documentation has been approved by local authority EHO’s, is easy to use and because we visit your premises, tailored to your business!

Insider Top Tip - Always make sure you know what the last EHO inspection report said, check you have completed all the past requirements, the inspector will have referred to these before visiting. There is nothing more frustrating for an EHO than a business that hasn’t followed the advice given following the previous visit, burying your head in the sand and ignoring professional advice will guarantee a low Food Hygiene Rating.

Insider Top Tip - If you have received a disappointing Food Hygiene Rating Score our EHO Visit Audit Support Action Plan will give you the upper hand and ensure you are ready for a revisit.

I was away when the EHO arrived and my staff couldn’t find our documented food safety system

No excuse! Your staff should be aware of the intricacies if your food safety systems when you are off duty or away. Ensure your duty manager and senior staff understand the HACCP and documented food safety system and can access this documentation when you are away.

Nansen Green Catering Consultancy have developed a comprehensive Documented Food Safety System which we will tailor to your businesses needs following our initial visit to your premises and is essential for you to achieve and maintain your 5 Star Food Hygiene Rating.

Remember…….

Achieving a Fast Track “5 Star Food Hygiene Rating” is just a phone call away…….

(t) 020 3633 5229

(e) info@nansengreen.com

(w) www.nansengreen.com