Environmental Health Officers

Question 1

What is the role of the EHO?

Answer 1

They are employed by the Local Authority to look after the safety and hygiene of food through all the stages of manufacture or production from distribution to storage and service.

Question 2

The EHO enforce many laws. What are the four main laws that they enforce?

Answer 2

• The Food Safety Act
• The Food Composition Regulations
• The Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations.
• The Food Safety (Temperature Control) Regulations.

Question 3

What is the Food Safety Act?

Answer 3

It covers food safety from the manufacturer or producer to the point of sale. This might involve different companies or premises e.g. suppliers, manufacturers or kitchens, shops or restaurants.

Question 4

What are the Food Composition Regulations?

Answer 4

This specifies what ingredients can and cannot be used in the manufacturing of food e.g. bread, breakfast cereals and the use of additives.

Question 5

What are the Food Safety (General Hygiene) Regulations?

Answer 5

This sets out the rules in relation to the handling of food within food manufacturing and preparation businesses.

Question 6

What are the Food Safety (Temperature Control) Regulations?

Answer 6

They specify the temperatures that food should be stored and cooked at, as well as the systems for checking that the food meets these required temperatures.

Question 7

Name FOUR things that the EHO’s will look at during their inspections?

Answer 7

• STAFF - properly dressed, clean nails, no jewellery, hair covered or tied back, good hygiene habits.
• PROCESSES IN THE WORKPLACE - handling of food, use of equipment, use of colour coded chopping boards, washing up, disposal of waste.
• STORAGE OF FOOD - fridges, freezers and dry stores. Are they the correct temperature? Clean, tidy and orderly?
• EQUIPMENT - this should be clean, well-maintained and with safety notices as appropriate.
• TEMPERATURE - the use of probes to check the food is correct temperature and hourly logs of fridge and freezer temperatures.

Question 8

List FIVE PERSONAL hygienic practices that food handlers should follow.

Answer 8

• Long hair tied back
• Discreet make-up
• Nails short and free from nail varnish
• No jewellery
• Cuts covered with waterproof plaster
• Wearing of hat
• Clean correct uniform
• wash hands before handling food and after toilet, blowing nose, coughing or handling waste.

Question 9

List FIVE FOOD PREMISES HYGIENIC practices that the EHO would expect to see.

Answer 9

• Food deliveries are checked thoroughly.
• Food labelled and stored correctly.
• Stock rotated - first in first out!
• Temperature of food and fridges/freezers checked regularly.
• Waste disposed of safely.
• Colour coded chopping boards
• defrost foods thoroughly before cooking.
• take steps to avoid cross-contamination.
• Separate raw and cooked foods
• Clean ‘as you go’ routine.
• Sanitise work surfaces and equipment regularly.
• Foods use by and best before dates are checked.
• Have a cleaning schedule.
• Have good ventilation, lighting and extraction fans.
• Fridge and Freezers are clean.
• Pest control systems in place.