Key Definitions

Food includes drinks, ice, raw ingredients and the finished product. Food that is to be sold or served must be fit for human consumption and meet food safety requirements.

Any undertaking, public or private, whether for profit or not, carrying out any of the activities related to any stage of production, processing or distribution of food.

The natural or legal persons responsible for ensuring that the requirements of food law are met within the food business under their control.

European legislation requires all food businesses to assess the hazards (risks) associated with their business, to document the hazards and how they are controlled. A documented FSMS can range from complex procedural manuals to a single sheet of paper. For individual catering businesses using the Food Standards Agency model system Safer Food Better Business will normally fulfil this requirement.

A hazard is "a biological, chemical or physical agent in, or condition of, food with the potential to cause an adverse health effect" (Codex Alimentarius). Establishing what the hazards are in a business is a key step in the HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) process. Follow the link for top tips about hazard analysis.