Inspection of Food Premises

Businesses that produce or prepare food for the public are inspected to make sure that the food is safe to eat. Routine sampling of food is also carried out to ensure that good standards are maintained and, in conjunction with the Health & Social Services Boards, environmental health will investigate cases of food poisoning and other communicable diseases.

Approximately 208 samples of food are taken annually for microbiological examination. These relate to highly perishable foodstuffs and the programme is designed to monitor both the standard of hygiene in the handling practices and procedures of food production as well as the bacteriological quality of the food.

In conjunction with inspecting premises for food safety, Environmental Health Officers carry out food standards inspections. Food standards includes the quality, composition, labelling, presentation and advertising of food and also materials or articles in contact with food. Environmental Health Officers, through inspection, establish whether food standards are being met and that all necessary steps are taken to prevent contravention of the legislation.

It is particularly important to ensure that food standards are being met at the place of manufacture. Environmental Health Officers carry out routine sampling of food products supplied for retail sale as a checking system to ensure that good standards are being maintained. Almost 100 samples of various foods are taken each year to determine their compliance with composition and labelling standards. This has over the years resulted in varying follow up action. These inspections enforce the Food Safety (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 and regulations made under it.