Food inspections

We carry out regular inspections of food businesses to check you are meeting food safety law.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) website has advice on how to meet the food safety regulations.

What happens during an inspection

Inspections take place without warning. They may be routine or in response to a complaint.

An authorised food safety officer will visit your premises and show official ID. They will:

• talk to staff about food safety practices
• inspect your premises and equipment
• assess staff training and hygiene standards
• check how food is stored, cooked, reheated and cooled
• inspect documentation (recipes, temperature records, maintenance records)
• take food or surface samples or swabs if needed

You will receive a report after the visit. If your business meets the criteria, you'll be given a food hygiene rating.

How often you'll be inspected

The frequency of inspections depends on:

• the type of business
• the level of risk (for example restaurants are higher risk than shops selling packaged food)
• how clean and safe your premises are
• how well you follow food safety rules

Some businesses are inspected every 6 months, others every 3 years.

Food sampling

We may take food samples to check quality and safety. This helps protect public health and enforce food safety law.

Enforcement and support

Most businesses find inspections helpful and value the feedback. We aim to support businesses to improve and grow.

If food safety is compromised, we may take enforcement action. Common reasons include:

• selling unsafe food
• failing to fix issues from previous inspections
• not having a documented food safety system
• poor cleanliness and hygiene
• untrained staff
• poor personal hygiene (for example no handwashing facilities)
• inadequate pest control

We follow the Food Safety Agency (FAS) Food Law Code of Practice England.

Read our Enforcement Policy for further information and guidance.

Advice and guidance on food hygiene and staff training is available on the FSA website.