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The entertainment & event management directory

Master Class

Organising an Event - Part 4

Part 4:

How do I make sure that food and is safe and do I need to label it?

Making sure food is safe

If you want to provide or sell food at an event, here are some basic questions you need to be able to answer:

  • are the food preparation and serving facilities and equipment clean and in good repair
    • are they suitably situated so that the food does not become contaminated, for example from pests, animals or waste
  • are the washing facilities adequate
  • some people have food allergies; is there someone who can answer questions about the origin of the food and its ingredients

The Food Standards Agency has more information about food safety for voluntary and community events and you can also get advice from food safety officers at your local council.

Food labelling

Food sold for a charity or other community organisation, only has to follow food labelling regulations if the seller is a registered food business. This includes food sold at one-off events such as village and church fêtes and school fairs.

However, labelling food voluntarily may be helpful to prospective buyers, particularly if the food contains a common allergen that buyers may need to be aware of, such as nuts in a cake.

Go to Part 5 of Organising a Community/Voluntary Event