What an EHO looks for
How clean is your pub kitchen? How good are your hygiene practices? You may think everything's fine - or you may just have been ignoring things for too long.
Whichever it is, looking at your pub through the eyes of an environmental health officer (EHO) can be quite revealing. This checklist, obtained by The Publican at great personal risk, shows what an EHO looks for. Use it to check out your kitchen - and put right any problems before the EHO visits for real.
Food delivery and storageq Are food deliveries made by suppliers at the proper temperatures?
q Is food and packaging checked before deliveries are accepted?
q Does food arrive labelled and dated? If not, is this done immediately on delivery?
q Is food stored safely, off the floor and at the right temperature?
q Is food covered, wrapped or stored in proper containers?
q Are food storage rooms and areas kept clean and properly organised?
Refrigerationq Are all fridges and freezers working properly?
q Are the temperature read-outs correct?
q Are walk-in fridges and freezers cold enough?
q Do all doors shut properly?
q Is all food wrapped, covered and labelled?
q Is food prepared and chilled/frozen on site, labelled and dated?
q Are all refrigerators and freezers equipped with thermometers?
q Is the raw meat, poultry, and seafood stored on shelves under prepared food and produce?
q Are fridges and freezers kept clean?
Food preparationq Is all frozen food thawed properly before use?
q Is fruit and veg washed before preparation?
q Do staff prepare raw and cooked food separately, and wash their hands in between?
q Are food preparation areas and materials (eg cloths) regularly cleaned and sanitised?
q Is hand contact with ready-to-eat food (eg cheese, prepared salads) kept to a minimum?
Cooking
q Are kitchen thermometers used to check food temperatures?
q Is hot food stored safely and at the right temperature before serving?
q Is pre-cooked food reheated quickly and safely?
Employees
q Do your staff have recognised food handling and hygiene qualifications?
q Is there a trained and experienced member of staff working with new or untrained employees?
q Are staff clothing/uniforms clean?
q Do employees cover or tie back their hair?
q Are hand-wash basins in working order?
q Are staff supplied with anti-bacterial hand-wash and paper towels?
q Do employees always wash their hands between tasks - eg after handling food, putting out waste, mopping and cleaning floors and surfaces?
q Are employees free of illness and infection?
Kitchen hygieneq Is all food equipment properly washed, rinsed, and stored after use?
q Are cleaners and chemicals properly labelled and stored away from food areas?
q Are all walls, floors, and ceilings clean and in good repair?
q Is there any evidence of insects and/or rodents?
q Are all waste areas (inside and outside) kept clean, free of trip hazards, and bin lids kept closed?
