Food Safety - Enforcement
The main duties of the Environmental Health Section in the enforcement of food safety law include:
- Implementing and maintaining a documented programme of food hygiene and food standards inspections. Premises posing a 'high risk' to the consumer are inspected more frequently than those posing a 'low risk'.
- Implementing a microbiological and chemical food sampling programme. Priority is given to sampling food produced locally.
- Investigating complaints about food including complaints about the hygiene of premises.
Investigating cases of food poisoning.
- Providing guidance and advice to the public and businesses on food safety matters. Advice is given during inspections..
Failing to meet standards
Where a business fails to meet the required food hygiene standards, an authorised officer has a range of powers to deal with non-compliance. Normally a graduated approach is taken which may range from issuing written warnings , up to the service of enforcement notices compelling improvement by a certain time, some of which can have the effect of prohibiting all or some aspects of the food business. In addition to this, an authorised officer can report breaches of the legislation to the Procurator Fiscal with a view to prosecution via the court system. Following successful prosecution, an order may be made prohibiting guilty persons from operating a food business again.
The following documents provide further details of the food safety function within Moray:
- Food Law Enforcement Service Delivery Plan 2017-18 (24 pages, 525KB)
- Performance Review Against the 2016/2017 Food Law Enforcement Service Delivery Plan (9 pages, 296KB
- The Food Sampling Policy (PDF) (5 pages, 98 KB)
Contact Us
Environmental Health
The Moray Council
Council Office
High Street, Elgin
IV30 1BX
0300 1234561
01343 563483