The Four C’s of Food Hygiene and Safety talks about: Cleanliness, Compliance, Confidence in Management and Confidence in Staff. For more information about the Hospitality Training Partnership, Pathway Group and our services please call: 0121 707 0550 or visit: www.hospitalitytrainingpartnership.co.uk or e-mail: info@pathwaygroup.co.uk For more business advice visit; www.pathway2grow.co.uk

1. The Four C’s of
Food Hygiene & Safety

2. The food hygiene inspectors
are visiting your hospitality or
catering business:
• What are they looking for?
• What does that mean in reality?

3. Pathway Group and our Hospitality Training Partnership
(www.hospitalitytrainingpartnership.com)
have worked with many businesses in the sector, including
pubs, restaurants, sandwich bars, delis, cafes and hotels.
In our experience of working with these businesses
to ensure they achieve high ratings for food hygiene,
there are four vital areas.
We call them 'The Four C’s of Food Hygiene
and Food Safety'.

4. They are:
• Cleanliness
• Compliance
• Confidence in Management
• Confidence in Staff
Let’s see what they mean for
your business…

5. Cleanliness
Your establishment needs to be clean. There are a number of
regulations such as TR19 regulations, however the clearest
guidance for cleanliness comes in the ‘Food Standard
Agency’s ‘Safer Food Better Business’ Guide’.
In this document there is clear guidance and help, on your
processes for a cleaning schedule, clear and clean as you go,
cleaning effectively, hand washing, maintenance, pest control,
contamination, personal hygiene and cleaning materials.
Paying close attention to these processes will ensure your
business stays on the right side of the Cleanliness element of
four C’s and your food hygiene standards are high.

6. Compliance
When it comes to the preparation, cooking, reheating and
storage of food, there are very clear and simple to follow
guidelines. Food safety inspectors are looking for you to have
procedures in place for these elements and staff who
understand them.
Once again, the ‘safer food, better business’ guide from the
FSA is invaluable and provides guidance for caterers on,
chilling food, chilling down hot food, defrosting, freezing, safe
cooking, reheating and keeping food hot.

7. Confidence in Management
The managers of the business, should have to hand and
know well the processes for food hygiene, and cleanliness,
and should be able to talk knowledgeably about how staff
are trained and how the business manages its food hygiene
and records.
Key areas which fall under the managers responsibility are
opening and closing checks, regular extra checks, training
and supervision of staff, handling of customer feedback,
supplier management and handling and stock control.

8. Confidence in Management
The application of good process will play
an important role in your food safety
inspection, but equally as important is
the impression which the food safety
inspector has of the management:
• Are they in control?
• Do they have a clear picture of what is
happening in the business and how
food safety and food hygiene is being
managed?

9. Confidence in Staff
For many catering and hospitality businesses, ensuring all members of
your team are aware of food safety and food hygiene issues can be a
challenge.
They may be part time or on varied contracts, however, without ensuring
these members of the team are aware of and following the processes you
have in place, your food hygiene will be in jeopardy.
It is key that all members of staff receive food safety training or food
hygiene training. This training can be delivered internally, however in
order to instil the confidence in staff from an inspectors perspective, a
structured course is often the best solution.
The impression that the inspectors have of the staff, and their confidence
in the staff’s knowledge will give your business the best chance of
impressing the food hygiene inspectors.

10. Confidence in Staff
For more information on food hygiene
training and our wider range of
hospitality training, please:
Visit: www.hospitalitytrainingpartnership.co.uk
Call: 0121 707 0550