What is different about catering?
- Cook so the middle of the food reaches 70°C for 2 minutes, or an equivalent such as 75°C for 30 seconds.
- Hot food is held at 63°C or above. It can come out for display for up to two hours, once; after that it is reheated, chilled or thrown away.
- Reheating means cooking again until steaming hot, and only once. In Scotland reheated food must reach at least 82°C.
- Food cooked for later is chilled as quickly as possible, for example in smaller portions, then refrigerated.
- Every dish that contains one of the 14 allergens needs allergen information, written or through a clearly visible sign telling customers to ask.
- On a buffet, allergen information goes on each dish, not the buffet as a whole.
Facts and sources for this part
- To be fully cooked, the middle of food should reach 70°C for 2 minutes, or an equivalent such as 75°C for 30 seconds or 80°C for 6 seconds. [S12]
- Hot food must be kept at 63°C or above, with certain exceptions. [S26] [S30]
- Hot food can come out of hot holding for display for up to two hours, once. After that, reheat it until steaming hot or chill it quickly to 8°C or below; if it has been out longer than two hours, throw it away. [S26]
- Reheating means cooking again, not just warming up. Reheat only once, and never put food into hot holding without reheating it properly first. [S27]
- In Scotland, food that is reheated before being served or sold must reach at least 82°C. [S31]
- Cooked food that will not be served straight away should be chilled down as quickly as possible and then put in the fridge, for example by dividing it into smaller portions. [S29]
- For non-prepacked (loose) food, allergen information must be given for every item that contains any of the 14 allergens. It can be written, or verbal with a clearly visible written notice telling customers how to get it. [S15]
- For a buffet, allergen information must be given for each food item separately, not for the buffet as a whole. [S15]
Which management guide does your kitchen use?
| Where | Guide |
|---|---|
| England and Wales | Safer food, better business (SFBB) for caterers: the pack for restaurants, cafés, takeaways and other small catering businesses |
| Northern Ireland | Safe Catering |
| Scotland | CookSafe, for HACCP-based systems in catering |
Facts and sources for this part
- SFBB for caterers is the food safety management pack for restaurants, cafés, takeaways and other small catering businesses. [S21]
- Safer food, better business (SFBB) packs are the FSA’s food safety management guides for England and Wales; Northern Ireland uses Safe Catering. [S10] [S1]
- In Scotland, CookSafe helps catering businesses understand and implement HACCP-based systems. [S48]
What does an inspector look at in a kitchen?
Three things: how hygienically food is handled, from preparation and cooking to reheating, cooling and storage; the physical condition of the kitchen; and the processes, training and systems behind it.
The result becomes the rating on the door: 5 down to 0 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or Pass or Improvement Required in Scotland.
Facts and sources for this part
- Inspectors check how hygienically food is handled, the physical condition of the business, and the processes, training and systems used to keep hygiene up. [S8]
- Under the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme a business gets a rating from 5 (hygiene standards are very good) to 0 (urgent improvement is necessary). [S18]
- In Scotland, the Food Hygiene Information Scheme gives a Pass when a business meets the legal food hygiene requirements, or Improvement Required when it does not. [S32]
Where to start
Start with the temperature lesson for cooking, hot holding, cooling and reheating, then the allergens lesson for menus, buffets and takeaway orders. The other lessons are shared with every sector.