General Food Law

The recent food hygiene legislation (General Food Law Regulation 178/2002) requires food businesses to assess risks to food on sale (hazard analysis) and control them using a management system.

This could include:
• holding ingredients information which is accurate and up to date
• controlling cross contamination in storage, preparation and service
• inviting customers to explain what they need to avoid (for example by displaying a notice)
• training all your staff about food allergy risks and what they should do to protect people.

Prosecutions have been taken under the Food Safety Act. In one case, the food served triggered symptoms which led to a serious anaphylactic reaction. The case depended not only on the food sold being 'not of the substance demanded', but also on the communication systems throughout the business. The key issue was that the customer had initiated a conversation with the staff. If she had not asked the waiter for a meal free of peanuts, it is likely that there would have been no case.