Get the top food hygiene rating

All businesses should be able to achieve a 5 rating.

This can happen by demonstrating excellent compliance with legal requirements for good hygiene when one of our food safety officers visits your food business premises. 

The 4Cs of food hygiene

There are 4 main things to remember for good food hygiene:

• cleaning
• cooking
• cross contamination
• chilling

These are also known as the '4Cs of food hygiene'.

You can use the 4Cs to prevent the most common food safety problems.

See guidance on what each of the 4Cs means for your food business on the Food Standards Agency website.

Keep a documented safety management system

Make sure you have fully completed and updated your documented system. Only businesses with completed and up to date systems get a top rating.

Make sure you complete a diary every day to show you are carrying out opening and closing checks and recording any problems. If there are any gaps this may count against you.

You can use safer food, better business (SFBB) as your documented food safety management system. SFBB gives you the most up to date information on how to make sure the food you serve in your business is safe.

Food industry guides

The Food Standards Agency has put together a list of food industry guides to help you achieve the top rating.

Get tailored support

Contact us and one of our food safety officers will provide advice based on your specific needs as a business.