Consumers

As a customer you have the right to expect a certain standard of food hygiene on any purchases you make. We are here to enforce those standards and to investigate when they are failing.

The following pages aim to inform you what to do if you need to make a complaint, what kinds of illnesses you are at risk from and how to maintain good food hygiene in your own home.

1. Report a complaint about a food business to us
2. Advice on planning an event
3. Find out what hygiene rating food businesses near you have
4. Advice on microbes and infectious diseases
5. Advice on 'best before' and 'use by' dates
6. Advice on planning a street party
   

Report it

If you want to make a complaint about a food business please contact the Food and Safety team.

What will happen to my complaint?

We are prioritising high risk complaints particularly to do with persons who have suffered an injury or food poisoning. All complaints will be assessed on a risk basis.


Planning an event

Depending on the size/ scale of your event, you may need to contact the events management team. If you are planning a smaller one off events you may wish to refer to our guide to planning small/ community events (pdf, Sept 11, 64KB).


Food hygiene rating system

We inspect all good premises in North Somerset to ensure that they are compliant with the current legal requirements and supply food that is safe to eat.

Businesses are given a rating and sticker/ certificate to display. You can search the ratings of food businesses near you here.

You can find out how the scheme works, what the ratings are and what they mean here.


Microbes and infectious diseases

We act on reports passed to us by GPs, the public, businesses, hospitals and other local authorities about food and water borne infectious diseases.

To find out more about infectious diseases and the information we will need to process your complaint please see our information about infectious diseases pages.


'Use by' and 'Best before' dates

You need to remember that best before refers to the quality of the produce you are consuming and 'use by' means consumption after that date could lead to health risks and is not advised.

Although food may look edible after the 'use by date' bacteria on the surface of the food is already at work. Apply the rule - "If in doubt, throw it out".

You can find out more about 'use by' and 'best before' dates on the Food Standards Agency website.


Street parties to celebrate the Golden Jubilee and Olympics

Are you think of hosting a street party to celebrate the Queens Jubilee or the Olympics this summer?

Find out what you need to do and who you need to inform in our specially designed guide. Download Street Party guide here