Current scientific advice shows it is very unlikely coronavirus can be spread through food, but restaurants, pubs and similar non-essential food businesses are now closed, to achieve the necessary social distancing to delay the spread of coronavirus.
Some community organisations and voluntary groups are providing meals and food packs to the community.
While you do not need a food hygiene certificate to provide food for charity or community groups, you do need to make sure you handle food safely. Food provided for community groups must comply with food law and be safe to eat.
Registration
If you handle, prepare, store and serve food occasionally and on a small scale, you do not need to register as a food business.
If you are providing food on a regular and organised basis, or are setting up a food bank, you may need to register, please contact us for advice.
Existing food banks should already be registered and have actions in place to minimise the risks to users.
Food hygiene when cooking or donating food
If you are donating or preparing food, you need to make sure those who receive the food know what is in it and how to prepare it, so it doesn't make them ill.
Donating prepacked food products will make sure the foods are properly labelled with instructions such as use-by dates, allergen information and storage guidelines.
If you are preparing meals, the four main things to remember for good hygiene are the 4Cs:
- Cleaning
- Cooking
- Chilling
- Avoiding cross-contamination
It's very important to store food properly to keep it safe. Storing food in sealed containers and at the correct temperature protects it from harmful bacteria, stops objects falling into it, and avoids cross-contamination with other ingredients.
When you're making food for large numbers of people:
- Wash your hands regularly with soap and water.
- Always wash fresh fruit and vegetables before cooking or consumption.
- Keep raw and ready-to-eat foods separate.
- Do not use food past its use-by date.
- Always follow cooking instructions.
- Make sure food is properly cooked before you serve it.
- Ensure food preparation areas are suitably cleaned and sanitised after use and wash any equipment you are using in hot soapy water.
- Ensure frozen food is safely defrosted in a fridge before you use it.
- Keep food out of the fridge for the shortest time possible.
Food temperature
Food which needs to be chilled at 8◦c or below, such as sandwiches should be left out of the fridge for the minimum possible time and never for more than four hours.
After this time, any remaining food should be thrown away or put back in the fridge. If you put the food back in the fridge, don't let it stand around at room temperature when you serve it again. It should be eaten as soon as possible.
Allergen guidance when cooking for your community or donating food
You should provide details of the relevant 14 allergens. This will allow people with food allergies to make safe food choices.
As best practice, anyone making or donating foods for a food bank should label it appropriately, saying what the item is, the date it was produced and include details of any allergens so individuals with food hypersensitivities can avoid it.
If you know the people you are cooking for, ask about any allergy requirements they may have before preparing their meals.
If you are cooking for a community group, you can provide allergen information by labelling food containers or providing a note for each meal.
Cooking for someone with a food allergy or intolerance can be worrying if you're not used to doing it. You can plan a safe meal by:
- Asking what they can and can't eat.
- Making sure you keep allergens separate from other foods to avoid cross-contamination.
- Double-checking the ingredients lists on prepacked foods for allergen information.
- Checking the ingredients with the person who provided the food, if it was donated.
- Avoiding adding toppings or garnishes to dishes which might otherwise appear allergen-free.
- Cleaning work surfaces and equipment thoroughly to remove traces of anything you might have cooked before.
There are often good substitutes available for ingredients someone may need to avoid. Ask the people with a food allergy for help and suggestions for ingredients.
More allergen information can be found on the Food Standards Agency website.
Foods which need extra care
Some foods are more likely to cause food poisoning than others. These include raw milk, raw shellfish, soft cheeses, pate, foods containing raw egg and cooked sliced meats.
If you plan to serve any of these foods, consult the Foods which need extra care section in our Safer food, better business guidance.
Meal containers
If you want to provide food in containers, it is important to select appropriate food grade packaging. This is packaging intended for multiple use, such as Tupperware or takeaway boxes. This will make sure the transported food is safe and its quality maintained. For example, packaging materials may be required to be liquid repellent to prevent leaks, or to stop paper becoming soaked through.
Without this type of packaging, chemical contaminants or germs could transfer onto the food. Well-fitting lids will also minimise any hygiene or spillage risks.
It is safe to re-use glass and plastic containers, as long as they are free from chips and cracks. Make sure containers are thoroughly cleaned to prevent cross-contamination with germs, allergens and physical contaminants. If they are dishwasher safe, a dishwasher is preferable for cleaning due to the high temperature it reaches. Containers should be washed thoroughly in hot, soapy water if a dishwasher is unavailable.
Delivering meals
All food must be delivered in a way which ensures it does not become unsafe or unfit to eat.
Food that needs refrigerating must be kept cool while being transported. This may need to be packed in an insulated box with a coolant gel or in a cool bag. Equally, food that needs to be kept hot should be packed in an insulated bag.
You should also avoid possible cross-contamination risks in the delivery process. This can be done through packaging meals securely and storing allergen-free meals separately in transit, to avoid contamination through any spillages.
If an allergen-free meal has been requested, it should be clear when delivered which container it is in. You can use stickers or a note on the container to label each meal.
More information about safe delivery
Infection control
Food businesses must ensure food handlers are fit for work and comply with health and safety.
Staff must be given clear instructions about any infection control policy in place and any person affected and/or employed in a food business and/or who is likely to come into contact with food should report the illness or symptoms immediately and if possible their causes, to the business owner.
Maintaining a two metre distance between people must also apply in your kitchen to keep your staff safe. The government has issued guidance on Coronavirus for employees and businesses.
More information on preparing foods for the community.