UKHospitality, in partnership with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS), has launched an updated version of its industry-recognized hygiene standards guide for caterers. UKHospitality is a hospitality industry group representing over 740 companies across 100,000 venues within England, Scotland, and Wales.

The guide is the only recognized document for hygiene standards for the catering sector that is used by both industry and enforcement, according to UKHospitality. In accordance with Article 8 of Retained Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004, the guide is recognized by FSA and FSS.

The guide includes advice for caterers on compliance and is applicable across the entire UK, providing a consistent and simple approach for environmental health officers and food business operators. Making the guide work for all four nations in the UK was a priority for UKHospitality.

FSA states that the guide will provide up-to-date, accurate, and understandable guidance to help food businesses across the UK achieve good food hygiene compliance. FSS added that the guide emphasizes good hygiene as an essential requirement to producing safe food.

In addition to hygiene, the document offers guidance on cleaning and disinfection, pest control, food waste, employee illness, hazards analysis and critical control points (HACCP), allergens, cold storage and temperature control. The latest version also includes four new sections on food crime, donating food, freezing and defrosting food, and the shelf life of chilled vacuum-packed meats.