Food hygiene inspections

If your business makes or prepares food, it will be inspected to make sure you are following food law.

Making sure your food is safe to eat

Our inspectors will check if your business produces food that is safe to eat. To do this, they will look at:

  • your premises
  • the kinds of food you make or prepare
  • how you work
  • your food safety management system

You can find information on food safety management systems and download free copies of the 'Safer food, better business' information packs on the Food Standards Agency website.

For advice on food standards such as ingredients, allergens, shelf life and labelling, please contact Trading Standards.

If you want to report an unsafe food business you can report issues with food premises.

Frequency of inspections

The inspectors might come on a routine inspection, or they might visit because of a complaint. How often our officers routinely inspect your business depends on the type of business you run and its previous record. Some premises might be inspected every six months, others will be much less often.

Inspectors have the right to enter and inspect food premises at all reasonable hours. They do not have to make an appointment and will usually come without notice.

If you are running a food business from your home an appointment will usually be made prior to an officer visiting to carry out an inspection.