The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is forking out £10m to promote a new food safety initiative “Safer Food, Better Business”, primarily for small catering companies.
Local authorities in England will be able to apply for funding which will be allocated by the FSA as a three-year grant.
Officials at the FSA claim the initiative is a new approach to food safety management that offers simple, practical guidance to caterers.
Companies will be provided with a diary and fact sheets, which can be adapted to each business to help them tackle any hazards in their food preparation or handling.
The initiative is intended to help caterers prepare for new European food safety legislation due to take effect next January.
Catering consultant Chris Stern, said: “Of course it’s a good idea, but it will probably make life for catering companies more complicated.”
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