• To protect it from contamination, all food must be wrapped, covered or placed in sealed, washable containers to be transported to the market.
• Containers used to transport food must be clean and in good condition and kept away from any other items being carried in the vehicle
• The interior of the vehicle must be kept clean and in good condition
• Certain types of foods must be transported under chilled conditions - most ready-to-eat foods containing meat, fish or eggs, soft cheeses, pates, shellfish etc. This means that you must provide a refrigerated vehicle, or if the quantity is very small, perhaps manage with a cold box

• Surfaces should be cleansable and impervious. This means that wooden trestles must be covered with a suitable washable covering. There should be no exposed unsealed woodwork or concrete as these surfaces cannot be thoroughly cleaned
• There should be a sink with hot and cold running water or mixed water at a suitable hot temperature, for the washing of the stall and any equipment used for handling food
• A separate wash hand basin should be provided, again with hot and cold water, for the cleaning of hands only
• Where only low risk wrapped foods are sold, these facilities may not be required on the stall - consult the Market Manager and your local Environmental Health Officer
• Any food on display for sale must be protected from contamination. This means that any unwrapped food must be protected by suitable screens and must not be placed in a position where members of the public can touch it, lean over it, sneeze on it etc

• Food must be protected from contamination at all times. In particular, there must be separation between any raw foods, and ready to eat foods. For instance, if you sell both types of food, you should have separate storage areas, display counters, scales, utensils etc to reduce the risk of transferring bacteria from raw foods to ready to eat foods
• The surfaces of the stall must be kept clean by washing regularly with hot water and detergent. Any surfaces or equipment with which food comes into direct contact should also be disinfected using a suitable food grade, non-toxic, odourless disinfectant
• Food handlers must wear clean, washable overclothing that will protect food from being contaminated during handling. Long hair should be tied back and hats are preferred to cover the hair and help to stop it falling into food. Nails should be short, hands clean, nail varnish should not be worn and jewellery should be restricted to a plain wedding band
• Any cuts should be covered with a brightly coloured waterproof plaster
• Use tongs or other utensils to handle food; do not touch food with bare hands
• Wash hands before starting to serve, after touching raw food, after handling rubbish or going to the toilet
• Put all waste food into a plastic bag or bin

• Certain foods are more at risk of the growth of food poisoning bacteria than others - these are high protein, ready to eat foods such as cooked meats, egg dishes, cooked fish, soft cheeses, ready to eat salads and rice, sandwiches, pate etc 
• To reduce the risk of bacterial growth, these high risk foods must be kept chilled, at no more than 8ºC. This applies to the transport of the foods, the storage and the display. (There is an exception for food on display, which may be left out of chill for up to 4 hours after preparation)
• Refrigerator temperatures should be monitored - keep a thermometer in each unit so that you can check the air temperature frequently. If you have a stall at a permanent market it is a good idea to keep a daily written record of the temperature. The air temperature within each unit should be low enough to keep the food at no more than 8ºC. (around 5ºC is best)

• If you are handling open high risk foods you should be trained to a basic level in food hygiene (Foundation Certificate). Your local Environmental Health office should be able to tell you where to find a suitable training course
   
• If you employ someone to work for you on the stall you must ensure that they have a basic awareness of food hygiene - prevention of contamination, hand-washing, temperature control etc. If they are to be unsupervised they must also be trained to Foundation Certificate level

• All employers and self-employed persons must comply with health and safety law. In a market situation, there may be trip hazards, electrical equipment, knives etc. You must assess all the risks and take steps to minimise them
• You must ensure that nothing on your stall poses a risk to employees or to members of the public
• When handling items you should be aware of the injuries that can result from lifting loads that are too heavy or awkward, and use a method that minimises the risk of injury, such as a trolley; or arrange for goods to be in smaller loads
• Be careful with cleaning equipment - avoid using corrosive or toxic chemicals and replace them with a less hazardous substance. Assess the safety of a chemical before using it or letting an employee use it
• Many accidents in the food industry arise from simple trips and slips. Keep the floors clear and mop up spillages as soon as they occur. Basic good housekeeping is an important control both for health and safety reasons and food safety
• Keep a basic first aid kit on your stall - a list of minimum requirements is available from environmental health

Direct Services - Crewe & Nantwich Markets - Telephone 01270 255739