Resources for using surplus food
Any charity or community group running activities with food which imply ‘a certain continuity of activities and with a certain degree of organisation’ is required to register their food operations with their local council/environmental health departments. This is a relatively straightforward process and information can be found on your local council website.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has produced some guidance on which types of activities need to register here:
Food Safety
For help with food safety management and food hygiene regulations see the FSA’s Safer Food, Better Business Guides here:
For guidelines on receiving surplus food and its safe transportation and storage, including proper freezing and labelling see the following documents produced by WRAP, the Food Standards Agency and the Department of Environment, Food & Rural A airs (Nov 2017).
- Redistribution Summary: Food labelling and safety
- Redistribution checklist: Date labels, storage advice and freezing for food safety
Need to get your staff or volunteers trained in food hygiene?
They can do an online course and get their certification in just a few hours for as little as £15.
An online search for ‘food hygiene certificate’ should return a list of online course providers.