Food safety and hygiene

It is part of the criteria under the Food Safety and Hygiene legislation. You will be required to complete a Basic food hygiene course level 1 prior to the visit from EHO, these are readily available in your local College of FE or online for more information click here. 

An Environmental Health Officer from your local council will complete the inspection and findings are forwarded to Food Standards Agency who issue the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme which must be displayed in a visible location at the premise – this is a legal requirement since April 2016
To register your food business, contact your local council:

• Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council
• Ards and North Down Borough Council
• Armagh Banbridge Carigavon Borough Council
• Belfast City Council
• Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council
• Derry and Strabane District Council
• Fermanagh and Omagh District Council
• Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council
• Mid and East Antrim District Council
• Mid Ulster District Council
• Newry Mourne and Down District Council

Food Hygiene Rating Scheme

The Food Standards Agency operate the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme in Northern Ireland in partnership with participating local councils.

The scheme aims to help consumers choose where to eat or shop for food by providing information on the hygiene standards in restaurants, cafes, takeaways, tourist accommodation establishments and food shops. The scheme also encourages businesses to improve hygiene standards.

Consumers can search for information about hygiene standards at restaurants, takeaways and food shops at www.food.gov.uk/ratings. For more information and further details of how you can enroll in the scheme please contact your local council.

You can register here.
You can access guidance here. 

Food allergies food intolerances and labeling

Information on food allergies and labeling is provided in the link below and advice will be provided by your local council Environmental health officer when they call to assess your property it's good to be prepared prior to your visits.

It is good practice to find out in advance of your guests arriving if they have any food allergies or intolerance, most of our operators ask at the time of booking so that they can purchase the required foods. You can find out more information at NIBusinessInfo.co.uk

Food waste regulations

If your business undertakes processes or activities that create food waste, you must comply with the Food Waste Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015. These regulations will be applicable to restaurants, cafes, hotels, pubs and other tourism and hospitality businesses selling food.

The Food Waste Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 came into force in February 2015. This legislation requires that waste operators collect and transport food waste that has been collected separately, from 1st April 2015. From 1st April 2016 food businesses that produce more than 50kg of food waste per week are to present that food waste for separate collection. By 1st April 2017 the law will extend to cover food businesses that produce between 5kg and 50kg of food waste per week. They will be required to present that food waste for separate collection, and food businesses to ensure that food waste is not deposited in a lateral drain or sewer.

For more information please visit http://www.legislation.gov.uk

• DOE the segregation and separate collection of food waste
• WRAP - Preventing food waste a guide to legislation in the Hospitality and Food Service Sector in Northern Ireland

This information is provided as a guide and is not designed to be definitive. Each business has its own requirements, depending on the type of accommodation. For precise or detailed information, or on the legal implications for you in particular, you should consult your local council Environmental Health Officer.