Author Topic: Food Hygiene Certificate & Other Hygiene Qs (Read 6097 times)

HesterF · « **on:** September 16, 2013, 11:30:00 pm »

My apple crushing/pressing seems to be taking off a little faster than I'd thought. Original plan was just to juice our own apples but then I realised it would be no problem to do the odd batch for others. So I posted on Facebook and have had quite a lot of interest already. Then I realised I'd probably need a Food Hygiene Certificate. So what do I need? Is Level 2 sufficient? Can I do it on-line? I googled and there are loads of different places offering City and Guilds on-line for £15 up. Does it make any difference which I use?

Also we haven't yet done our building work which will give me a proper clean kitchen. Meantime I've only got my own kitchen which is old, farmhouse style - lots of old wood and nooks and crannies. Would that be a problem? Also I was thinking an outhouse would be easier to work in since it'll have the space for the crusher and press side by side (pasteurising in our kitchen would be easier) - or even to work outside. How would the EH people view that?

Final question is that I have cats who have free access to the kitchen. Is that an issue?

Oh, and should I have public liability insurance for turning others' apples into juice?

Thks!

Hester

shygirl · « **Reply #1 on:** September 16, 2013, 11:42:03 pm »

our council runs food hygiene certificates.
i dont know anything about juices but id imagine it would be quite strict in requirements as it is a processed food and not cooked after leaving your place. i would want public liability incase someone blamed you for food poisoning etc.
have an informal chat with your local EH. im sure it will have to be registered as a food premises, and no cats unfortunately.
could you not "rent" the equipment until you are ready to go pro? and just be with the client whilst juicing is being done on your premises?

in my experience, you have to either stay under the radar - or play by the book.

honeyend · « **Reply #2 on:** September 16, 2013, 11:52:37 pm »

I would get an area separate from you house, an old catering trailer or a shed lined with easy clean surfaces, and sinks, EHO are really into cleaning an cats in the kitchen are a not allowed. I would do all my food prep in my trailer as it meant I didn't have to worry about my pets or humans. I would get a Safer Food Better business pack they are free and have a CD about food hygiene. I would also think about joining WI because they would offer you local practical support and somewhere to sell your produce. Sometimes local authorities provide free food hygiene courses, the certificate lasts for three years.

HesterF · « **Reply #3 on:** September 17, 2013, 12:23:20 am »

Thanks both! As of next year I'll have a separate food prep kitchen in an outbuilding. Easy to exclude the cats, easy clean floor, stainless steel surfaces etc.etc. Might just go under the radar for this season - only likely to be friends anyway - and then contact EH next year.

H

smithycraft · « **Reply #4 on:** September 17, 2013, 08:36:09 am »

I contacted my local EHO when I was looking into selling my home made goat cheeses. I found him very helpful and full of advice.

I also did the Basic Food Hygiene Certificate at our local college. It only took a couple of evenings and was very easy to pass.

Whilst there I met a woman who made wedding cakes in her own kitchen. She lived in a flat in an ancient building and she had a dog. She said that EH had visited and their only recommendations were that she get rid of the carpet in the kitchen and make sure when she was baking, that the dog was shut out.

For me the cost of setting it all up just wasn't worth it - making cheese is a high risk business apparently.

katie · « **Reply #5 on:** September 17, 2013, 03:45:16 pm »

Talk to the EHO - they're usually very good.
Keep the cats out of the kitchen for starters
We have a commercial orchard but have our fruit juiced and bottled at the local Ag College as it was really difficult to get insurance to produce it ourselves - good luck!

HesterF · « **Reply #6 on:** September 17, 2013, 11:56:30 pm »

It's not possible to keep the cats out of our kitchen - it has no doors so it opens into the hallway (via two different entrances - hard to describe) and the cat flap goes through one of the hall doors so they have direct access. For the moment I'm fine to produce our own juice for our own consumption - as far as I know legislation can't stop me poisoning my own family yet. The commercial side of it was just a thought that seemed to be quite a good one after lots of people said they'd be interested. What I might do is take the hygiene certificate and then I'll get the new kitchen approved which should be in time for harvest next year...

h

shygirl · « **Reply #7 on:** September 18, 2013, 02:34:50 pm »

sounds like a plan

katie · « **Reply #8 on:** September 19, 2013, 04:55:11 pm »

Good plan. I know our local college does courses for home cider and apple juice producers. Might be an idea to see if there's one near you?

arcal · « **Reply #9 on:** October 13, 2013, 08:56:59 pm »

Hhhmm, as one of those EH officers myself i strongly suggest you have a quiet word with your own local, helpful, neighborhood environmental health officer. Or at least don't be daft enough to post online your intent to fly under their radar when your home page gives your location...

i wouldn't necessarily say SFBB is appropriate for what your doing and would prefer to see a basic HACCP plan instead. You'll need to evidence control over your pasturisation and bottling process and your controls for patulin. The rest is basic good hygiene. Kick the cats out of the kitchen and have a good clean down before you start production, obviously don't let them in when producing. If they have access at the kitchen at other times it doesn't matter too much so long as you can evidence a good clean down routine before production (ie, write it down). If your business does increase dramatically though we would expect more suitable premises. You would definitely benefit from food hygiene training. Would recommend you went somewhere for half a day rather than do it online. If your local EH dept does it then go there and ask questions.

I strongly recommend you contact your local EHO and ask for an advisory visit and they'll come out and give you some helpful advice (not an inspection)!

Remember, its against the law not to register your food business. Its even more so to make people seriously ill....

Arcal

HesterF · « **Reply #10 on:** October 13, 2013, 10:26:48 pm »

Thanks! It gets slightly more complex because now I've used the crusher and press (for my own apples), they're very much more suitable for outside production. The pressure in the press is driven by water which fills up a balloon in the middle which in turn presses the pulp outwards to get the juice out. The problem is when the pressure gets to the right level, a pressure valve releases water at the bottom so it would pour all over the floor inside. Equally once the pressing is finished, you have to empty the water out of the press and again it's via a valve that just pours it all over the floor. Basically, there's no way I could use the press in my current kitchen without risking my listed building (which would no doubt get me a good wrist slapping too). The new kitchen is planned to have a central drain so it should eventually be possible to produce inside but what are the regulations for outside production? I noticed from Bodger's photos that they have a similar set-up which the crushing and pressing being done outside. My pasteuriser is inside and that's no problem - just sits on the table top.

H