Food complaints
Want to watch this video? Sign up for the course
or enter your email below to watch one free video.
Unlock This Video Now for FREE
This video is normally available to paying customers.
You may unlock this video for FREE. Enter your email address for instant access AND to receive ongoing updates and special discounts related to this topic.
Handling Food Complaints: What You Need to Know
Types of Food Complaints
Food safety teams deal with various types of complaints:
- Food that is unsafe to eat or causes illness.
- Foods so contaminated that they are inedible (e.g., mouldy food).
- Food containing foreign objects like plaster or glass.
- Chemical contamination and improper use of additives.
- Food composition issues (e.g., mislabelled sausages).
- Labelling offences and misleading claims.
Handling Complaints
Steps taken by food safety teams when addressing complaints:
- Formal action requires evidence of public health risk and negligence by the company.
- Complaints that pose no health risk (e.g., insects in canned foods) are not typically pursued.
- Food safety teams do not handle compensation claims; these are civil matters dealt with by manufacturers and courts.
- Enforcement actions are guided by council policies.
Dealing with Specific Complaints
Examples of specific food complaints and their handling:
- Foreign objects in food (e.g., plaster in a cake) warrant investigation if they pose a health risk.
- Tinned food complaints involving insects are addressed; however, canned foods are typically safe due to sterilisation processes.
Recommended Products For You
Large Premium Burn First Aid Kit
£17.88 + VAT
HeartSine 350P Internal Package - Special Offer
£875.00 + VAT
BSI First Aid Kit Small Catering Refill
£10.83 + VAT
Bsi First Aid Kit Premier Small Catering
£13.97 + VAT