Food Safety Expert Reveals Key Reasons Businesses Don’t Get 5 Stars!

Food hygiene and safety is a hot topic — it can not only lead to the downfall of a hospitality business, it can also cause illness or even death for a customer! Whilst many businesses fail to achieve a 5 star rating on blatantly poor hygiene and lack of care and safety, some fail or even get a zero rating for reasons such as paperwork.

Fortunately for hospitality businesses in Merseyside, there’s a food safety guru on a mission to ensure they achieve a 5 star rating every single time! Katy Elliott is the owner of 5 Star Food Safety — training businesses and their staff and putting in place a bespoke simplified system that protects them from the dreaded environmental health visits.

With over 25 years of experience, Katy has helped countless restaurants, pubs, bars, hotels, manufacturers and other food related businesses achieve 5 star food safety ratings and has become an integral part of their operation. Here she reveals the key reasons business fail and don’t achieve a 5 star rating….

1. No Food Safety Management System

Katy: “The premises may not be dirty but there is no documented evidence that food safety is being taken seriously. Remember, if it’s not written down, there’s no proof. That’s why I’ve written an easy to follow food safety system. If the paperwork is too complicated and cumbersome then staff find it too hard to follow. My systems are tailor made for each setting.”

2. Failure To Manage An Existing Food Safety System

Katy: “Documentation and monitoring records such as fridge/freezer temperatures on the opening and
closing of the kitchen. Again, my system is easy to follow and I keep all my customers informed of any
changes to current legislation.”

3. Lack Of Knowledge

Katy: “A failure to keep abreast of current legislation may result in a food safety management system that is no longer “fit for purpose”. For example, in 2019 the FSA added Acrylamide into the SFBB (Safer Food
Better Business) and I still audit kitchens and staff haven’t heard about this.”

4. Lack Of Staff Training

Katy: “Many food service businesses employ additional staff during the summer but fail to provide them with adequate training. Some small business operators working on narrow margins are often tempted to
view training for casual or seasonal staff as a waste of money.”

“I insist that my customers either train their staff or I train the staff. I don’t charge a fortune for this training and I know that if I carry out the training staff are more engaging when using my easy system and they are not scared of phoning me up if they are even unsure of something in the future. It’s all about building a confident team.”

5. Too Busy

Katy: “During the course of a busy day, when customer numbers are high, there may be a temptation to
serve food quickly rather than safely. This is why I ensure my customers keep hot food ‘prove-it’
records.”

6. Poor Habits Of Food Handlers

Katy: “Even where food safety training has been delivered, management may fail to ensure staff actually
adhere to it! People seem to think that wearing disposable gloves is hygienic – this is not the case.
When wearing gloves you cannot feel if your hands are dirty, so I actively discourage wearing them. In
some circumstances I would wear gloves, i.e. handling fish, peeling garlic or onions but that’s about it.”

7. Poor Cleaning Habits Due To Premises

Katy: “Food businesses by law should have adequate lighting, ventilation, drainage and a dependable supply of hot and cold potable water, with separate sinks for hand washing and food preparation. Poorly laid out or difficult to access areas, such as behind ovens and freezers, may result in staff failing to clean effectively, which can result in a build-up of dangerous levels of bacteria and an infestation of pests. Some staff blame the kitchen by saying it’s old. You can still keep an old kitchen clean so there is no excuse.”

Katy has had some amazing some amazing success stories — in some cases taking businesses from a zero rating to 5 stars! A key area where she bridges the gap is with business owners who don’t speak English as their first language. Not fully understanding the complex guidelines can often lead to errors that put the business at risk, therefore Katy puts in simple systems and even translates them if necessary.

FOR A FREE CONSULTATION WITH KATY CALL HER ON 07940314549 OR EMAIL katy@5starfs.uk