The EHO's at the door: food hygiene inspections and your rating

It's 11.40 on a Wednesday. Someone in a sensible jacket is at the back door with an ID badge and a clipboard. Your stomach drops. Relax, a bit. A food safety inspection isn't an ambush. If your kitchen is run properly every day, it's a chance to prove it.

Who they are and what they can do

The people most of us call "the EHO" are authorised officers from your local council's food safety team: environmental health officers or food safety officers. Their job is to check you're following food hygiene law and that the food you serve is safe.

A few things worth knowing:

• They usually turn up unannounced. They have the right to enter and inspect at any reasonable time, which includes when you're open or preparing food.
• They can look at pretty much everything: your premises, how you work, your food safety management system and your records. They can take photos and samples.
• Don't obstruct them. Intentionally obstructing an officer, or failing without reasonable cause to give them help or information they reasonably need, is an offence under the Food Safety Act 1990.
• How often they come depends on risk. Higher-risk businesses can be inspected as often as every six months; lower-risk ones every two years or less often.

How the rating works

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the inspection results in a Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) score from 5 to 0:

The officer scores three things:

1. How hygienically food is handled: preparation, cooking, reheating, cooling and storage.
2. The physical condition of the premises: cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation, pest control and facilities.
3. How you manage food safety: your processes, training and systems, which tells the officer how confident they can be that standards will be kept up.

That third one catches people out. A gleaming kitchen with no records can still lose marks. To get a 5, you need to do well on all three.

In Scotland it's different. The Food Hygiene Information Scheme gives a result of "Pass" or "Improvement Required" rather than a number (a few negligible-risk premises are listed as "Exempt").

On the day: what to do

What they'll actually be looking at

The things that come up again and again:

• Temperatures. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, chilled food legally has to be kept at 8°C or below. The FSA recommends setting fridges to 5°C or below to give you a margin. Hot food held for service should be kept at 63°C or above.
• Cross-contamination. Raw and ready-to-eat food kept apart, separate equipment and boards, proper cleaning in between.
• Cleaning. Not just surfaces you can see, but behind and under equipment, extraction, seals and drains.
• Handwashing. A dedicated basin, hot water, soap and paper towels, and staff actually using it.
• Pests. No evidence of them, and a plan to keep it that way.
• Staff illness. Staff with diarrhoea or vomiting must not handle food. Official guidance is that they stay off until they've had no symptoms for 48 hours.
• Training. Food handlers don't legally need a food hygiene certificate, but you must be able to show they've had the right supervision and training for their role. Keep a record.
• Allergens. Accurate information on all 14 allergens, and a team who knows how to use it.
• Registration. Food businesses must register with their council. New businesses should do it at least 28 days before they start trading.

After the visit

You'll be told your rating in writing, either at the time or within 14 days. If standards are poor, the officer has options. They might write to you with a list of things to fix, or serve a hygiene improvement notice, which sets out what you must do within a set period (at least 14 days). Failing to comply with one is an offence. Where there's an imminent risk to health, they can stop part of the business or close it until it's safe.

If you disagree with your rating

Under the FHRS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, you have three safeguards. Scotland's scheme has similar ones, but check the details with your council.

• Appeal. Talk to the officer first to understand the score. If you still think it's wrong, appeal in writing to the council within 21 days of being told your rating (weekends and public holidays count).
• Right to reply. You can publish a response alongside your rating online explaining what you've improved or any unusual circumstances on the day. There's no deadline.
• Re-rating inspection. Once you've fixed everything, you can ask for a re-visit. In England, some councils charge for this; in Wales and Northern Ireland, all do. Bear in mind the officer will look at everything again, so the rating could go up, down or stay the same.

Displaying your rating

In Wales and Northern Ireland, you must display your rating sticker where customers can see it before they come in. In England, it's voluntary, but a good score is worth showing off.