Inspection

The Food Standards Office of the Velocity Interoperability Network inspects food businesses to verify that they meet the food safety and labelling rules. Inspections are carried out by the Office's 26 authorised inspectors, each of whom holds an identification card that a business may ask to see. The frequency of routine inspection depends on the risk category of the business; inspections are also made in response to reports and following a food alert.

During the transition period from 10 August to 5 September 2026, 218 inspections were carried out under interim arrangements. From 14 September 2026 the Office begins its own programme, under which every registered business will be inspected at least once by the end of 2027 and the higher-risk categories by the end of March 2027.

The inspection procedure. Every inspection follows the eight steps below. A routine inspection of a restaurant or canteen takes between one and three hours; an inspection of a manufacturer or distributor may take a full day.

1. 1

   Step 1: Selection from the register

   Businesses are selected for inspection from the register according to their risk category, the outcome of their last inspection and any reports the Office has received. Most inspections are unannounced. A business is told in advance only where records held elsewhere must be produced.

2. 2

   Step 2: Arrival and identification

   The inspector presents an identification card issued by the Office and asks for the person responsible for the food safety management system. The inspector may enter any part of the premises where food is handled or stored, at any reasonable time, and may take photographs.

3. 3

   Step 3: Examination of the premises and practices

   The inspector examines the structure and cleanliness of the premises, the storage and handling of food, temperature controls, pest control, personal hygiene and the separation of raw and ready-to-eat food, and observes food being prepared where possible.

4. 4

   Step 4: Examination of records

   The inspector examines the food safety management system, temperature logs, cleaning schedules, training records, supplier records and the labels and allergen information of food on sale, and checks that the business's entry on the register is correct.

5. 5

   Step 5: Sampling

   Where necessary the inspector takes samples of food, swabs of surfaces or samples of water for analysis. The business is given a receipt for anything taken and a copy of the analysis when it is complete.

6. 6

   Step 6: Closing discussion and outcome

   The inspector discusses what has been found with the person responsible, explains any matters that must be put right and the time allowed, and states the outcome. Where the outcome is prohibition, a notice is served at once.

7. 7

   Step 7: Written report

   A written report, recording the matters found, the outcome and the date by which each matter must be put right, is given to the business at the end of the inspection or sent by email within two working days. The business may respond in writing within 14 days.

8. 8

   Step 8: Follow-up

   Where improvement is required, the inspector revisits after the time allowed to confirm that the matters have been put right. A business that has put them right is given a revised outcome; one that has not may be prohibited from trading.

Outcomes. Every inspection results in one of five outcomes. The outcome is recorded on the register, stated on the certificate the business must display, and published in the Office's quarterly statistics.

A business may respond to a report in writing within 14 days, and may ask the Office to review an outcome within the same period. A review is carried out by a senior inspector who took no part in the inspection, and its result is given within 21 days. The outcome stands while the review is in progress.

Frequency of routine inspection. Each business is placed in one of four risk categories on registration, according to the nature of its activity. A business that receives an outcome of improvement required or worse is moved up one category until two successive compliant outcomes are recorded.

The programme to 31 December 2026. The table below shows when inspections begin at each principal site, the number scheduled by the end of the year and the inspectors assigned. Businesses at other locations are inspected from the nearest principal site.

Questions about an inspection, including requests for a review of an outcome, may be sent to contact@food.gov.vin quoting the registration number of the business. The outcomes of the transition period are published on the Statistics page; the particulars a business must register are set out on the Registration page.