Transcript
Advice on purchasing chilled, ready-to-eat foods for sale at retail This leaflet provides advice to small retailers and convenience stores on steps they should take to ensure the chilled, ready-to-eat products they sell are safe to eat and meet food labelling requirements. When deciding to stock pre-packed chilled foods, (e.g. sandwiches, sausage rolls, pasties etc.) it is important that measures are put in place to confirm that manufacturers and distributors of these products are reputable and have a good record of compliance with food law requirements. It is important that the instructions on the packaging are always followed for safe storage and that products are not on sale beyond their ‘Use By’ date. The following quick and easy checks can be undertaken when deciding to stock chilled, ready-to-eat products:
Before you buy
Contact the local authority in the area the manufacturer and/or distributor is based to establish if they are registered or approved as a food business.
Always buy from a reputable supplier and before you enter into a contract, obtain references or ask other businesses locally if they have dealt with the company.
Check your suppliers’ Food Hygiene Rating Scheme rating on the Food Standards Agency website at food.gov.uk/ratings
Receiving deliveries
Take delivery vehicle temperatures using your own thermometer, or ask the driver for a record of their temperature reading. Make sure you keep a record of these temperatures. The temperature should be below 8°C, but recommended good practice suggests these products should be stored between 1°C and 5°C.
Get an impression of the supplier from the delivery driver and vehicle, i.e. are they clean and is the vehicle in good condition? Is stock appropriatelly stored on the vehicle?
Check the condition of the packaging and check for signs of tampering, such as broken seals; overstickering of labels; information which has been scored out; or information which has been handwritten on the label. Packaging should be intact and fully sealed.
Ensure information such as ‘Use By’ dates, the address of the manufacturer, storage instructions, and an ingredients list with allergens highlighted or emphasised is included on the label.
Check the ‘Use By’ date. (Is the date what you might reasonably expect for the product and is it clearly marked?)
Check the ingredients list has a quantitative ingredients declaration. This means that ingredients stated in the name of the food or emphasised on the label in words, pictures or graphics, must be listed in the ingredients list with their percentage content. For example, “ham (20%), cheese (15%)”, in the case of a ham and cheese sandwich
A clear description of the product must be provided on the label. Make sure this description closely resembles the actual product. For example “Wiltshire ham and grated Cheddar cheese sandwich with iceberg lettuce on wholemeal bread”.
Continuing checks
Keep copies of invoices from each delivery and check that the contact details are legitimate and match your records.
Look for any spelling mistakes on the labelling, which can be an indicator of poor quality.
Ask the manufacturer to inform you of any changes to the ingredients in the product, especially when allergenic ingredients are involved.
Keep all your temperature records in your food safety management system (such as the Safer Food, Better Business pack) and make sure they are up to date and maintained.
In the event that something goes wrong, implementing and documenting the checks above may help demonstrate due diligence.
If you have any concerns regarding any product that you have been offered or supplied with, contact your local authority on the details below. REMEMBER: You could be liable to enforcement action by your local authority if you sell food which is unsafe or does not comply with the law. This could result in food being confiscated, the service of statutory notices and/or the instigation of prosecution proceedings against you. Local authority contact details: Phone:
Email:
Web:
