We inspect food businesses to check they are complying with food safety and food standards legislation, so that food is safe to eat and is correctly described.

Higher-risk businesses are inspected more often than lower risk ones. Inspections are usually unannounced, but in the case of food businesses operated from a domestic address, a minimum of 48 hours’ notice is given.

We score each food business against the national Code of Practice and consider the structure, food handling practices and how well food safety is managed in the business.

After the visit, we provide the business with a record of the inspection, including any follow-up actions that are needed. Most food businesses (other than those considered to be very low risk) will also be provided with a food hygiene rating.

Inspections are also carried out to follow up complaints about food handling practices and notification of food poisoning.

Where conditions in food businesses are found to have fallen below the accepted legal minimum, we will consider formal enforcement action in line with our enforcement policy.

Food sampling

We carry out sampling of foods from local food businesses, to check for safety, as part of our food hygiene inspection programme, to tie in with national and local surveys and to follow up on complaints. Further action is taken where any results from sampling are unsatisfactory.

Some businesses involved in the production of higher risk food products also need to carry out their own sampling. Where this applies, the sampling must be undertaken using an accredited United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) laboratory.

Contact us

Please email food.safety@bcpcouncil.gov.uk for any further advice about food hygiene inspections and sampling.