Food Safety : Procedure for Keeping Premises Database Up-to-date

1. Purpose of the Procedure

1.1       All premises where foodstuffs are handled, processed or stored are recorded on an existing computerised database known as "Authority Public Protection" (APP).

1.2       The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that this Authority is able to demonstrate that the contents of this database are kept precise and up to date (so far as is reasonably practicable).

2. Responsibilities

2.1      The Food Hygiene Regulation Manager or Food Standards Regulation Manager shall have responsibility for ensuring compliance with this procedure.

2.2       All Food Safety Officers shall comply with the requirements imposed upon them in this procedure. This will include checking whether or not food premises have registered with this authority as part of their advanced preparation for food hygiene and/or Food Standards Inspection.

3. Methodology

3.1       Where new food premises require to be registered in terms of Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004, Article 6(2) an Application Form for Registration of a Food Business Establishment shall be completed by the proprietor of the food business and returned to the service for processing.  The relevant details from each application form shall be entered in the APP database and thereafter the application for registration form shall be filed in the appropriate premises file.   

3.2      Using their local knowledge and the reporting facilities within APP the Food Hygiene Regulation Manager or Food Standards Regulation Manager, or Senior EHO shall, on a regular basis, check the database for inaccuracies. Any inaccuracies identified will be referred to the relevant Food Safety Officer to address.

3.3             A copy of any reports generated for the purpose of checking inaccuracies within the database, together with any relevant amendments, shall be kept on file for at least 2 years to demonstrate compliance with this part of the procedure.

4. Post Inspection Administration

4.1       In accordance with the prescribed requirements of the respective Food Safety and Food Standards Inspection policy procedures, following inspection of premises where significant information concerning the premises has changed since the last visit, the computer database record shall be amended accordingly to incorporate those changes. In such cases, the proprietor of the affected food business will be invited to complete a replacement Application for Registration of a Food Business Establishment.

Upon receipt of the updated application for registration form, the appropriate amendment shall be entered into the system and filed in the appropriate premises file.

 Date of induction: 1st April 2007

 Date of review: 7th August 2008