5* Home Catering and Mobile Food Businesses

The last few posts have considered the standards a conventional food business is expected to demonstrate if they want to achieve a 5* award on the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme. Things like storing and preparing food hygienically, having a good structure with the right facilities and having an up to date and robust document food safety management system, like "Our Kitchen Rules".


When it comes to running a food business from home or from a mobile structure, you still have to be able to demonstrate that you store and prepare food hygienically and you also have to have an up to date documented food safety management system in place however, the structural requirements are a lot more relaxed as the requirements discussed in previous posts do not apply to mobile and home operations. They are expressly exempted by the headings to both Chapters I and II (See Annex II Chapters I, II and III in Regulation EC (No) 852/2004

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2004:139:0001:0054:en:PDF

So what are the structural requirements when running a catering business from home or a mobile unit?

1. The structure must be kept clean and in good repair and be designed to avoid the risk of contamination especially from animals and pests.Chapter III makes no mention of smooth walls nor easy to clean floors etc.
2. Appropriate facilities are required for the hygienic  washing and drying of hands. There is no mention of the phrase wash hand basin nor running water. It does however, make mention of having somewhere available an adequate supply of hot and/or cold potable (clean and wholesome) water.
3. Hygienic sanitary arrangements and changing facilities are required.
4. Food contact surfaces are to be in good condition and easy to clean and disinfect. These do have to be smooth, washable, corrosion resistant and non-toxic.
5. There must be adequate provision for cleaning and disinfecting utensils and equipment.
6. If the food you prepare needs to be washed then there must be adequate provision for doing so hygienically. 
7. Provision must be made for the storage and disposal of waste.
8. There must be adequate provision for maintaining and monitoring suitable food temperatures and
9. Food must be placed to avoid the risk of contamination.

These are the requirements that relate to mobile and home catering. You will note that in addition to the omissions already sited, there is also no mention of ventilation, lighting or drainage.

The problem when it comes to being rated is that once again the legislation is very vague and consequently open to inconsistent interpretation and hence reduced food hygiene rating scores.

At least knowing that the requirements for mobile and home catering businesses are more relaxed, gives you a fighting chance should you wish to appeal against an over zealous interpretation of the legislation and a resultant low score.