Environmental Health Officer Sinead Smith explains why planning is the key to success when it comes to food businesses.
As an Environmental Health Officer (EHO) for the Health Executive Service, one of Sinead Smith’s main duties includes ensuring food safety. Based in Co. Meath, Sinead carries out advisory visits to start-up food businesses.
“For me, it’s all about helping them get their food safety systems into place. Sometimes it’s to break down and clarify legislation, sometimes it’s more to make sure they have all their paperwork and plans ready.
“A lot of the time, when people feel they’re ready to produce food, they come to ourselves. Then when we ask for a food safety management system, traceability system, or to see their labelling, we realise they might not have thought there were so many background areas to cover.”
For Sinead, planning is crucial for any food start-up business. By working with EHOs as early as possible, businesses can later avoid problems and save themselves unexpected costs.
“We like to work with people when they’re at the early stages, before they commit to premises or put in any structural facilities. The process is really to contact us, plan ahead and do the research,” Sinead explains. Following years of experience, Sinead is confident that when looking at floor plans or storage, an EHO will spot potential pitfalls for a new business and their possible expansion.
Speaking about the early stages of design, Sinead says, “If we can see floor plans of say a proposed unit, or even the premises of a restaurant or shop and we know their plans, we can identify if they’ll need more storage or floor space for food safety in the future – before they invest any considerable amount of money.
“I think the one lesson I’ve learned from watching start-ups is to plan ahead.”
EHOs have a two-pronged approach when it comes to food safety; compliance and enforcement. To achieve compliance, EHOs will work with food businesses and make them aware of the supports and resources that are available to them. Where there are serious non-compliances and risks to public health, EHOs can take enforcement action. There are a number of enforcement actions available to EHOs under current legislation, such as the options to seize, remove or detain foodstuffs suspected of contamination. They can also issue improvement notices, prohibition notices and closure orders.
While Sinead emphasises that EHOs do not want to close business premises, she stresses that protecting the public is always their number one priority.
“Food business closure is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The closure, and how quick that happens, always depends on the risk to the public at that time.”
When a business does pose a threat to public safety, Sinead explains that an EHO must follow a process of discussing the risks and the threat with a Designated Officer (a person appointed by the FSAI to ensure enforcements are performed in a transparent manner). In cases where the threat is immediate, an EHO will process a closure immediately.
Addressing the biggest obstacles that could derail their start-up success, Sinead advises food businesses to dig deep and research their supply chain.
Sinead explains, “One of the biggest challenges facing the food industry at the moment comes in the form of supplier control. By that I mean, careful selection of reputable and registered suppliers and stringent delivery intake procedures are essential. Intrinsically linked to supplier control is food fraud, which has become one of the biggest emerging risks and is part of our daily control duties.” During inspections, Sinead and her team will routinely assess the proof of the origins of food products and in practical terms investigations may include sampling and analysis such as DNA testing and chemical analysis. Such investigations often involve cross-border and cross-agency co-operation with environmental health and control colleagues in Northern Ireland (NI) and other government officials in the Department of Agriculture and Revenue in the Republic of Ireland (ROI).
“Like any good building foundation, the food product is only as good as its ingredients,” warns Sinead.
“The final trader, such as the local butcher or restaurant owner may unwittingly become the victim of food fraud. Without stringent supplier control procedures, each food business could be placing its reputation and its very survival in the hands of their suppliers.”
“I think the main message to new business ventures is as always: do your research and plan ahead. Consult with your local EHO officer prior to commencing a food business.”
To contact your local EHO in ROI visit www.hse.ie and in NI visit the website of the local council for more information.
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