Food Safety Inspections & HACCP Reviews
Get an independent review of your food safety procedures, premises and HACCP system, with practical recommendations to help you identify gaps, improve documentation and prepare for Environmental Health inspections.
Food Safety Direct can arrange on-site food safety inspections for food businesses across the UK, supported by experienced food safety consultants. Where problems are identified, we can also help turn the recommendations into practical actions, updated HACCP documentation, procedures and staff resources.
Independent Food Safety Support for Your Business
Food safety requirements can become increasingly difficult to manage as a business grows, introduces new processes or responds to recommendations made during an Environmental Health visit.
Our food safety inspection service provides an independent assessment of how your procedures work in practice. The inspection can consider both what is happening within the business and the documentation used to demonstrate that appropriate food safety controls are in place.
Rather than simply providing a checklist, the aim is to identify practical improvements and give you a clear understanding of what should be addressed.
What Can a Food Safety Inspection Cover?
HACCP & Food Safety Management
Review of your HACCP-based food safety management system, procedures, records, monitoring arrangements and how effectively the system is being followed in practice.
Premises & Equipment
Review of food preparation areas, equipment, maintenance, layout, handwashing facilities, pest prevention and other structural considerations.
Food Handling Controls
Assessment of areas such as temperature control, storage, cross-contamination, personal hygiene, cleaning and traceability.
Allergen Management
Review of allergen procedures, labelling, ingredient information, staff awareness and measures used to control allergen cross-contact.
Documentation & Records
Checking that important food safety records are appropriate, current and being completed, including monitoring, verification, maintenance and review records.
Processes & Critical Controls
Review of particular production processes, hazards, Critical Control Points (CCPs), critical limits, monitoring arrangements and corrective actions where appropriate.
Already Had an Environmental Health Inspection?
You don't have to wait until your next inspection to ask for help.
If an Environmental Health Officer has identified improvements that need to be made, you can send us the relevant inspection report or action points. We can review what has been requested and help determine the practical work needed to address it.
Depending on the findings, this might involve an on-site inspection, a HACCP review, revised procedures, new process documentation, monitoring records or supporting staff materials.
More Than an Inspection Report
Identifying a problem is only useful if you know what to do next. Where required, Food Safety Direct can provide additional support following the inspection to help put recommendations into practice.
How the Service Works
1. Tell Us About Your Business
Explain your operation, any concerns you have and whether there are particular processes or previous inspection findings that need reviewing.
2. On-Site Inspection
A food safety consultant visits your premises to review relevant processes, working practices, controls and documentation.
3. Findings & Recommendations
You receive clear findings identifying areas that are working well together with any improvements or corrective actions that should be considered.
4. Practical Follow-Up
If further work is required, we can help with documentation, HACCP updates, procedures, forms, flow diagrams and other supporting materials.
Case Study
Helping an Independent Butcher Update Its HACCP System Following an EHO Inspection
The Challenge
An established butcher contacted Food Safety Direct following a recent Environmental Health inspection. Initially, the business was looking for HACCP process flow chart posters relating to its production processes.
After reviewing the inspection information, it became apparent that simply producing posters would not fully address what had been identified. The existing HACCP documentation needed a broader review, particularly around specific manufacturing processes.
Our Approach
We arranged an on-site visit so that the consultant could review how the business was actually operating rather than assessing the documentation in isolation.
The inspection reviewed the HACCP-based food safety management system alongside areas including premises standards, equipment, temperature control, cross-contamination, allergen management, personal hygiene, cleaning, pest control, traceability, training and due diligence records.
The visit found that the business maintained high standards of cleanliness and was broadly compliant across many of its day-to-day food safety and structural controls. However, its HACCP management documentation had not received a full formal review for a number of years and no longer adequately reflected current procedures and management requirements.
More detailed documentation was also required for specific production processes, including bacon curing and sausage manufacture.
What We Provided
- An on-site food hygiene and HACCP review
- A detailed food hygiene inspection and HACCP verification report
- A corrective action schedule identifying areas requiring attention
- A review and update of the existing HACCP documentation
- A new, updated HACCP management folder
- Process-specific HACCP documentation
- Updated procedures and monitoring templates
- HACCP process flow diagrams
- Professionally produced process flow chart posters for staff reference
- A briefing on the updated procedures and documentation
Turning HACCP Into Something Staff Can Use
One of the important parts of the project was taking the HACCP controls documented within the management system and turning them into straightforward process information that could be used within the working environment.
For sausage production, for example, the resulting documentation identified Critical Control Points for ingredient and allergen verification, temperature control and final labelling and allergen verification. A corresponding production flow chart was then developed showing the complete process from receipt of raw materials through to temperature-controlled dispatch.
Separate documentation and a process flow chart were also produced for the business's bacon curing process, covering the curing stages, temperature controls, product checks, traceability and final release.
The Result
What began as a request for two HACCP posters developed into a much more comprehensive review of the business's food safety management system.
The business received an updated HACCP framework, a documented inspection, practical corrective actions, revised process controls and clear staff-facing materials designed around the way its products were actually manufactured.
This meant the business was not simply responding to an inspection point with another document on the wall. The underlying HACCP system and the practical information used by staff were reviewed together.
Who Is This Service For?
Food safety inspections and HACCP reviews can be suitable for a wide range of food businesses, including butchers, food manufacturers, restaurants, cafés, takeaways, bakeries, catering businesses and other organisations involved in preparing, handling, producing or packing food.
The service can be particularly useful if you are preparing for an Environmental Health visit, have recently received an inspection report, have introduced a new process or product, or simply want an independent assessment of whether your existing food safety arrangements remain suitable.
Need Help With Your Food Safety or HACCP System?
Tell us about your business, the processes you operate and any particular concerns or inspection findings you need help with. We can discuss the most appropriate level of support and provide a quotation based on what is required.
Please note: This service provides an independent food safety inspection and advisory review. It is not a statutory Food Hygiene Rating Scheme inspection, does not provide or change an official food hygiene rating and does not replace inspections carried out by your Local Authority or Environmental Health Officer.