Find out about equipment and facilities needed for food preparation areas in catering premises.
For more advice, download or order the Food Standards Agency booklet Starting Up – Your First Steps to Running a Catering Business, available in English and other languages.
The following rules apply to rooms where food is prepared:
Surfaces in Food Preparation Areas
All surfaces, including surfaces of equipment, in areas where food is handled, particularly those that are touched by food, must be maintained in a sound condition.
Surfaces must be easy to clean and, where necessary, to disinfect.
This means that surfaces need to be made of materials that are smooth, washable, corrosion-resistant and non-toxic.
You must not store cleaning chemicals and disinfectants in areas where food is handled.
Maintaining and Cleaning Equipment
All items, fittings and equipment that food touch must be:
kept in good order, repair and condition in a way that enables them to be kept clean and, where necessary, to be disinfected
effectively cleaned and, where necessary, disinfected frequently enough to avoid any risk of contamination
fitted, where necessary, with an appropriate control device, such as a temperature sensor
Your premises must have adequate facilities, where necessary, for cleaning, disinfecting and storing utensils and equipment. The facilities must have an adequate supply of hot and cold water.
Facilities for Washing Food
You must have adequate facilities, where necessary, for washing food.
Every sink or other facilities for washing food must have an adequate supply of hot and cold water.
The water must be drinking quality. These facilities must be kept clean and, where necessary, disinfected.
