This section is designed to help food businesses understand some of the food safety/food standards issues that are applicable to their businesses.

• Important Notice for Swimming Pool Owners/Operators
  If you have a swimming pool in your business and have not received a letter from this department in July 2008 concerning swimming pool safety, I would be grateful if you could contact the Food and Safety team for further information relating to this letter.
• Food Hygiene Law
  A brief summary of the main rules that apply to most food businesses in Torbay
• Food Standards
  The Food team can provide information to businesses on food labelling, food composition and quality matters.
• Controlling Food Temperatures
  One of the most important things that any food business must control is food temperature. Good temperature control will stop harmful bacteria growing in the food that you serve.
• Healthy Catering
  The Agency is working with caterers to help them take steps to ensure that their customers can make healthier choices when eating outside the home. As part of this work, in January 2008, the Agency published voluntary commitments from some of the major workplace caterers in the UK. See the links to Agency work with catering businesses on the external links panel on the right.If you want practical advice about how to give your customers the choice to eat more healthily, or to help your staff or students learn about healthy catering, check out the other sections within external links.Whether you want to offer some appetising healthy specials, make simple but effective changes to all the food you offer, or give your students the tools to make these choices, these are practical tips and explanations for the reasoning behind them. You will also find some sample recipes showing how dishes can be made healthier, for example by changing the fat or calorie content.
• This advice is for you if:
  • you run a café, restaurant or sandwich bar
  • you run the catering service in a staff canteen, school, college or residential home
  • you are a chef lecturer or trainer providing catering courses, or you are an assessor of job-based catering training
  • you are studying for qualifications or training as a caterer
• Pest Control in Food Businesses
  Pests are one of the worst problems that a food business can encounter. Most Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notices (temporary closures) that are served on businesses in Torbay are due to mouse, rat and cockroach infestation. Don't let pests destroy your business, follow our advice!
• Keeping your Business Clean
  Do you know the difference between detergent and sanitiser? If not then read our advice on practical cleaning in food businesses.
• Advice on Vacuum Packing
  Vacuum packing is a popular method of extending the shelf life of food products without adversely affecting their quality. Vacuum packing is an effective way of reducing food spoilage, but also creates conditions which enable the growth of anaerobic organisms (organisms that grow better in the absence of oxygen), such as clostridium botulinum, which is able to multiply and produce dangerous toxins even at temperatures as low as 3.30C. Vacuum Packing Foods - Guidance Notes for Small Retailers document is available in related documents section of this Webpage.
• Advice on Dish Cloth Hygiene
  Dish cloths offer the perfect environment for bacterial growth which can lead to food poisoning. This leaflet offers tips on how to keep dish cloths clean and to prevent cross contamination. Please see our advice leaflet in related documents.

This section will be updated from time to time so keep an eye on it regularly to ensure you stay up to date.

To view any published Related Documents for this service you will require the appropriate software. To download this software please see our documents help page. All links to documents will open in a new window. To request documents and files in an alternative format please contact us using the contact information provided on this page.

Related Documents

Advice for Caterers On Allergy and IntoleranceAdvice for Caterers On Allergy and Intolerance

Business Advice - Recipe For Change

Food Hygiene - A Guide For Businesses

Advice on Dish Cloth Hygiene

To view any published Related Documents for this service you will require the appropriate software. To download this software please see our documents help page. All links to documents will open in a new window. To request documents and files in an alternative format please contact us using the contact information provided on this page.