Food Safety

Food business registration

If you operate a food business in East Renfrewshire, you must register with our Environmental Health section. All new businesses must submit their registration details 28 days prior to starting up their business.

Food businesses include home caterers.

In addition, you must tell us about any significant changes to your food business activities, or if you intend to close down.

Some examples of significant changes are:

  • New owner or operator

  • Providing outside catering where you previously only served to customers on site

  • Any expansion of your catering activities

Events including food preparation and sale

If you are planning an event which includes the preparation and sale of food, such as fun days, fetes and so on, please contact Environmental Health for advice. Contact details are at the bottom of this page.

Drop-in consultancy service

Our Environmental Health section provides a drop-in consultancy service for food business owners, for one-to-one discussions on food and health and safety matters. You can get advice and guidance, as well as some templates to assist you with meeting Food and Health and Safety legislation.

New European laws will require food businesses to document their food safety management systems. We can advise you on using the Cooksafe and Retailsafe food safety management systems, which can be adapted to catering and sales of high risk foods.

Complaints and inspections

We aim to respond within one working day to all enquiries and complaints about the sale and consumption of food. We will investigate further if required.

Our Environmental Health Officers carry out rigorous inspections of all businesses that sell food - shops, restaurants, pubs, mobile vending units and so on - to ensure that they meet strict food safety regulations. Officers use education and, if necessary, enforcement, to make sure the regulations are being followed through.

10 tips for food safety in the home

  1. Wash your hands thoroughly before handling food.

  2. Prepare and store cooked and uncooked foods separately. Keep raw fish and meat at the bottom of the fridge.

  3. Buy a fridge thermometer and keep it on the top shelf of the fridge. It should be at no higher than 5 degrees C.

  4. Keep your kitchen clean: wash surfaces, utensils and boards between different uses. Use bactericidal detergent where appropriate.

  5. Defrost meats and poultry fully before cooking, unless otherwise instructed.

  6. Cook food thoroughly, following the instructions on the pack.

  7. If you re-heat food, make sure it is piping hot before serving. Undercooked food, particularly burgers, sausages and poultry, can cause illness. Be sure to cook thoroughly until the juice has run clear and no pink bits remain.

  8. Do not eat food containing uncooked eggs.

  9. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.

  10. Check the use-by dates and use food only within the recommended period.

Use the links on the left of this page to find out more food safety tips.

Useful website: Food Standards Agency

Contacts

If you are planning an event which includes food, or if you want to make a complaint about food hygiene, please contact:

Environmental Health Section
Telephone: (0141) 577 3782
Email:

For general food or health and safety enquiries, or to arrange an appointment for the drop-in service, contact:

Rhona Douglas
Principal Food/Health and Safety Officer

Telephone: (0141) 577 3031
Email: