How to achieve a 5 rating

How can I get a 5 rating?

To be awarded a 5 rating you must be able to demonstrate a very high standard of food safety management and be compliant with food hygiene legislation.

Scores are given for the following three elements:

Food hygiene and safety procedures
Compliance with structural requirements
Confidence in food safety management/control procedures

Food hygiene and safety procedures
You must demonstrate and provide evidence of:

safe food preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage
a good level of staff personal hygiene
controlling the risk of cross-contamination
food hygiene training for food handlers
temperature control

Compliance with structural requirements
You must demonstrate and provide evidence of:

a clean premises
a well maintained premises
pest control procedures in place
a good level of natural and/or artificial lighting
adequate ventilation (natural and/or mechanical)
effective waste disposal provision

Confidence in food safety management/control procedures
You must demonstrate and provide evidence that food safety is being managed and documented, as required by Article 5 of Regulation (EC) 852/2004.
In particular that the:

food safety hazards are understood, controlled, managed and reviewed
food safety management procedures cover all activities from the receipt of food to the point of sale
food handlers are adequately trained
suitable supervision and food safety induction training for new staff

The amount of evidence and documentation of your Food Safety Management System will need depends on the size and nature of your business. For example, a manufacturer would need a more detailed documented system than a caterer or retailer.

For more information on what your business needs to do to satisfy this part of the scoring system please contact the Commercial Team in Environmental Health using the contact details at the top of the page.

Safer Food Better Business (SFBB)
For small to medium sized businesses the Food Standards Agency has designed a system to help create a documented food safety management system, 'Safer Food Better Business'. There are a number of different packs for different types of business, i.e. caterers, retailers, residential homes, childminders and some ethnic food businesses.

SFBB is a free pack which contains a manual documenting the important procedures that most food businesses need to follow. You fill the pack in to show how you manage these procedures in your business. It also provides many of the recording documents you need to show the inspector that you are managing the procedures on a day to day basis.
The pack comes with a DVD that explains the system and this can be used to help you train your staff.
SFBB is not the only food safety management system and you may choose whatever type of system you like.
You can find more information and download, or order a hardcopy, of the pack from the Food Standards Agency.

You can download a self assessment checklist (97KB - 22 August 2011 - PDF Help) that will help you to address the points that will be considered during an inspection, and develop an action plan to ensure you get the best rating you reasonably can when the businesses is visited.