Food Hygiene Guidance for Market Traders

Controlling food hazards: Transportation | Preparation | Display | Service |  Food Hygiene Training | Trading Laws: 1. Food Labelling | 2. Pricing | 3. Weights and Measures | Remember

Introduction

The following guidance has been prepared to help you meet the requirements of food hygiene laws in Great Britain.

Please read this guidance carefully and contact the organiser of the market if you have any questions about these requirements.

British food Laws are enforced by Environmental Health and Trading Standards Officers who may visit your stall on the day the market is held.

Rules of Hygiene

Controlling food hazards

Food hazards such as the contamination of food with dangerous bacteria and the growth of bacteria within food may occur when you handle food at any of the following stages: -

Transportation | Preparation | Display | Service

To control the hazards at each of these stages the following simple precautions must be taken: -

Transportation

All food must be wrapped, covered or placed in sealed washable containers while it is being transported to the market. This will prevent food from becoming contaminated with dirt and bacteria.

Vehicles and containers used to transport food must be kept clean and in good repair. Food must be separated from any other items being carried in the vehicle.

Some types of food must be kept cold to prevent dangerous bacteria from growing on them. These foods include: -

• ripe soft or semi-hard cheeses;
• other dairy products, such as fromage frais and food containing custard or cream
• cooked products containing meat, fish and vegetables e.g. paté;
• smoked or cured ready to eat meats which have been cut or sliced after smoking or curing such as some salami, cured hams and fermented sausage;
• smoked or cured fish; and
• Shellfish such as oysters.

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Preparation

The facilities necessary for the safe preparation of food may not be available at the market site. Please check these details with your market organiser before leaving. If hand washing and equipment washing sinks with hot and cold water are not available all preparation of food must be carried out before you leave home.

Where unwrapped food of the types listed above are to be prepared or handled you must make regular and frequent use of a hand wash basin with hot and cold water, soap and hand drying facilities.

Surfaces and equipment, which come into contact with food, must be kept clean and disinfected. You will need to bring a suitable disinfectant with you.

Everyone handling unwrapped foods of the types listed above must wear clean, protective over-clothing.

Smoking at your food stall is prohibited. Please make sure that you leave the stall if you wish to smoke and wash your hands thoroughly before handling food again.

You will need to bring bags or bins for the collection of food waste and other rubbish. Arrangements for the collection and disposal of refuse will be made by the market organiser.

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Display

All unwrapped foods, which are displayed for sale, must be kept at least 45 cm (18 inches) above the ground, and out of reach of customers and protected from contamination by providing a cover over the top, back and sides of the stall.

Food of the types listed above will need to be displayed at, or below, 8°C and must be separated from raw food.

Service

You should avoid directly handling unwrapped foods when serving customers. Spoons, tongs, plastic wrapping or disposable gloves can be used to prevent hands from coming into direct contact with food.

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Food Hygiene Training

If you are handling or preparing open high risk foods (those mentioned in section 3 above) you must have received food hygiene training. If you have never been trained in food hygiene you will need to attend a basic food hygiene course, or equivalent.

If you are selling low risk food you must still follow the rules below:

Rules applicable to all market traders

• Keep yourself clean and wear clean protective clothing.
• Always wash your hands thoroughly: before handling food, after using the toilet, handling raw food or waste and after every break.
• Ensure that spots, cuts and sores are covered with a brightly coloured waterproof plaster.
• Avoid unnecessary handling of food.
• Do not smoke, eat or drink where open food is handled.
• Clean as you go – keep all equipment and surfaces clean.

You must also be aware of additional job – specific hygiene rules that apply to your particular area of work; for example, cleaning and disinfection procedures and measures to prevent cross-contamination etc.

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Trading Laws

There are several main areas of legislation which are applicable to you if you sell produce in Great Britain.

These can be broken down into: -

(1) Food Labelling
(2) Pricing
(3) Weights and Measures

(1) Food Labelling

Most prepacked food, which is sold in Great Britain, must be marked with the following: -

(a) the name of the food;

(b) a list of ingredients;

(c) an appropriate durability indication – either a ’use by’ date or a ’best before’ date;

(d) any special storage conditions or conditions of use;

(e) the name and address of either: -
(i) the manufacturer or packer;
(ii) the seller established within the European Community;

(f) particulars of the place of origin or provenance of the food, if failure to state this could mislead a purchaser; and

(g) instructions for use if necessary.

Although there are exemptions to these requirements, you should provide as much of this information as possible to prospective purchasers of your products.

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(2) Pricing

All goods sold must be marked with an indication of their selling price. This price must be: -

• unambiguous
• easily identifiable as referring to the goods in question
• clearly legible

For goods sold from bulk i.e. loose goods, the selling price may be indicated by any of the following methods: -

(i) a unit of measurement, e.g. kg, metre;

(ii) a single item, e.g. oranges – 20p each; and

(iii) a specified quantity of the product; e.g. 5 oranges for £1.

Certain goods must also be marked with a unit price. This can be the price per kg or the price per 100g for food items. The following categories of product should be marked with a unit price:

(i) goods sold from bulk; e.g. cheese cut for the purchaser from a whole
cheese and meat sliced from a large piece; and

(ii) ’catchweight products’ – those which are not all prepacked in the same
quantity.

If you price goods loose from bulk by reference to the kilogram, you may have a supplementary price list indicating the price per lb., but this must not be more prominent than the price per kg.

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(3) Weights and Measures

Most products sold in Great Britain must be sold with an indication of their weight. For prepacked goods, this weight should be marked on the packaging.

If you are selling goods loose from bulk, as in the case of fruit and vegetables or meat and cheese, you should indicate to the consumer the exact weight of the produce when weighed. You should also use weighting equipment that has been certified as being accurate and suitable for trade used.

Certain fruit and vegetables, such as apples, garlic, onions, tomatoes and citrus fruits, may also be sold by number as well as by weight.

Remember

Your market stall may be visited to ensure that you are following the requirements laid out in this guidance. Serious breaches of these hygiene rules may prevent you from attending future market events.

This leaflet has been prepared for the assistance of traders by the Environmental Services Department of Lewes District Council. It is not an authoritative interpretation of the Law and is intended only for guidance.

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