5 common food safety mistakes you need to know to avoid getting fined

Food safety is one of the most rigorously regulated areas of business in the UK, and for good reason. Slipping standards in the kitchen could easily result in serious consequences, involving fines and irreparable harm to your reputation.

There’s no excuse for not adhering to the absolute letter of the law when it comes to food safety in the food and beverage industry. Yet, many UK kitchens are making easily avoidable mistakes. These are some of the most common causes of potential fines, and how you can avoid them.

What are the food safety laws in the UK?

The first thing to know is that legal accountability for compliance with all food safety regulations falls entirely on the business owner or operator. So, you need to make sure you’re up to speed.

You can find more information in our full Food Safety Guide, but the main food safety laws you’ll need to be aware of as a business owner are:

• Food Safety Act 1990
• Food Hygiene Regulations 2006
• Regulation (EC) 852/2004 (also known as the “Hygiene of Foodstuffs” regulation)
• Traceability and labelling regulations

All small businesses in the UK should be following the food safety management procedures set out by Safer food, better business (SFBB). Just remember the “4’Cs”:

• Cross-contamination
• Cleaning
• Chilling
• Cooking

What are the most common food safety mistakes?

There’s no set amount fine for food safety breaches in the UK; fines are levied on a case-by-case basis, but can be in the thousands. A magistrates’ court can impose a fine of up to £20,000, and in extreme cases it can even lead to a prison sentence.

So if you’re starting a restaurant, you should be doing your due diligence and familiarising yourself with the legal requirements for small business owners as breaching these laws can be extremely serious.

We’ve highlighted some of the most common (and potentially catastrophic) kitchen mistakes below, so you can steer clear of them:

1. Cross-contamination

Cross-contamination occurs when bacteria or other microorganisms are unknowingly transferred from one item to another. One of the most common kitchen mistakes is transferring harmful bacteria from raw food to cooked food.

However, cross-contamination can also result from equipment-to-food or person-to-food. Make sure you use separate utensils for raw and cooked food. A good tip is to use colour-coded utensils to avoid mishaps.

You should also regularly and rigorously clean all your kitchen equipment, and ensure staff continue to wash their hands regularly. This is the best defence against cross-contamination.

2. Food is being stored at the incorrect temperature

Another of the most common mistakes being made in kitchen environments is not using thermometers to measure the temperature of your food to ensure it’s at a safe level, and storing it with clear labelling.

Food sitting at a temperature of 8 – 63°C is what is regarded as the “Danger Zone“, where harmful bacteria will grow. Also, you should never leave your hot foot uncovered.

Avoid overcrowding in storage spaces, as this can restrict airflow. Remember that it is a requirement for:

• Fridge temperatures to be maintained below 8 °C (between 3°C to 5°C is considered optimal)
• Freezer temperatures to be maintained below -18 °C

3. Your food is undercooked

If you’re not properly cooking your food, it can result in foodborne illnesses caused by harmful bacteria like. E. coli or Salmonella. You should consider using thermometers to measure the temperature of your food to check if it’s safe to serve.

Common practice is to cook food until it has reached a core temperature of 70°C for two minutes. When cooking meat, you should check that the juices run clear and that the food is steaming hot throughout.

The best way to ensure you’re consistently serving food that’s safe to eat is with a Food Safety Management System (FSMS). This is a legal requirement, and you need to regularly update and review your FSMS to make sure you’re up to code and the food you’re providing is properly prepared.

4. Your staff are practicing poor hygiene standards

Ensure you have a clear handwashing policy that your staff are adhering to throughout the work day, with each hand wash lasting a minimum of 30 seconds. Your staff  should also be wearing clean work clothes.

Bad hygiene standards from your staff can often be a result of a lack of proper training. Make sure you implement a comprehensive training and onboarding system for all kitchen staff. They need to know the basics, as businesses can get caught out for slips like staff eating in the kitchen.

All your staff should know the food safety standards required in a kitchen, and the consequences of failing to meet them. A Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate is the standard, required qualification for most food handlers.

5. You’re attracting pests

You should take immediate action upon the first sign of any pests by contacting a pest control specialist. Pests can contaminate food, so you need to deal with them without delay. One of the key causes of pests is an unclean work environment.

Typically, pests need food, water, and a place to hide in order to thrive. Make sure you’re not creating a hospitable environment for vermin and other nasties by leaving crumbs and food waste in your workspace. Consider paying to pest-proof your premises.

Thoroughly sanitise your kitchen and implement a regular and effective cleaning schedule. Make sure to consistently take out refuse, and always keep your waste area separate from your cooking area.

Whether you’re just starting a cafe, a takeaway business, or you have dreams of a multi-chain restaurant, you need to know and follow the food and safety regulations in the UK to the letter. Make sure your kitchen is well-organised, sanitised, and that your staff are trained. Keep a clear record of everything.

Otherwise, it won’t just be poor customer feedback you need to worry about; you could be facing fines, being closed down, or potentially even criminal prosecution.