Food hygiene inspections
We inspect food businesses to make sure you are following food law and producing safe food.
During an inspection, we will look at:
- your premises
- how you work
- your food safety management system
- the types of food you prepare
We may visit your premises for different reasons, including:
- food hygiene and standards inspections
- sampling
- investigating complaints
- advisory visits
We have the right to enter and inspect your business at all reasonable times. We do not usually make appointments and may visit without notice.
How often we visit
Some food businesses pose a higher risk to the public than others.
We use a risk-based approach to decide how often to inspect your premises. This includes:
- the type of food you handle
- how the food is prepared and handled
- the size of your business
- your past level of compliance
Higher-risk businesses are inspected more often.
After the inspection
After we inspect your business, we will:
- explain our findings
- give advice on how to improve
- leave you a written report
- give you a food hygiene rating
Enforcement action
We may take enforcement action to protect public health.
This can include:
- issuing a legal notice
- recommending prosecution
- closing your business
We will give you time to make improvements unless there is an immediate risk to public health.
