The Food Team helps to protect public health and supports food businesses to ensure standards of hygiene and safety are maintained. The team’s day to day functions can include:
Inspection and monitoring of food businesses to check they are complying with food laws.
Awarding food hygiene ratings to food businesses to inform customers about the hygiene standards found on inspection
Food sampling to make sure that food sold by businesses is safe to eat
Investigation of complaints about food and food premises
Investigation of notified cases of food poisoning and infectious disease
Provision of advice for food handlers and food businesses
Provision of advice and consultation to other departments and outside bodies such as licensing and planning where food safety may be at risk
Promotion of health and healthy lifestyles
Officers from the Food Team routinely inspect over 1200 premises ranging from schools and supermarkets, to small corner shops to make sure that they are complying with standards that are required by law.