How to apply for approval if your business makes, prepares or handles food of animal origin and supplies it to other businesses.
Businesses required by law to be an approved food premises
If your business makes, prepares or handles food of animal origin such as meat, fish or dairy and supplies it to other businesses and not directly to the public, you may need to apply to us to become an approved food premises.
This is different to our normal food registration requirements.
If you think your food business may need to be approved, please contact us using the contact details below.
Types of premises needing approval
The types of premises that by law have to be approved include:
- Meat processing or preparation plants
- Minced meat processing operations or mechanically separated meat processing plants
- Cold stores
- Manufacturers of meat, dairy, egg or fish products
Conditions of the approval
If your food premises requires approval, you will need to meet the hygiene standards as set out in the regulations below:
- Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 Hygiene of foodstuffs
- Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 Hygiene rules for food of animal origin
Food premises approved under these regulations must meet extra rules over and above the general requirements for food premises, as they usually involve more high-risk operations.
Applying for approval
For further information and an application form visit our apply to become an approved food premises page.
Exemptions from approval
If your business only supplies animal products to the final consumer (the person who eats the food), you will be exempt from approval.
If part of your business involves retail and you intend to supply other retailers or caterers with food of animal origin, you may not need approval if your business follows all of the three criteria listed below:
- Marginal - the supply to other retailers/caterers is only a small part of your business (up to one quarter of the business in terms of food or less than two tonnes in relation to meat).
- Localised - you are selling your products to other businesses within your county, neighbouring counties, or no more than 30 miles from the county boundary of where you make them.
- Restricted - you are only selling or supplying one certain type of product to one specific retailer/caterer outside of the local area.
If you are unsure if your business needs to be an approved food premises, please contact us using the contact details below.
Contact us