Regulatory Services
Environmental Health
FOOD SAFETY
The food safety section is responsible for carrying out inspections in
a range of premises within the area, as well as dealing with food complaints
and the food sampling programme. This section is also responsible,
in conjunction with the Health Board, for investigating food poisoning
outbreaks.
The food safety section comprises of six officers under the direction
of the Food Safety Team Leader.
Contact the Food Safety Team Leader
LAW ENFORCEMENT
The main purpose of the Food section is to protect the health of the
public through the inspection of all types of Food premises and ensuring
that the premises and the practices of food handlers comply with the relevant
legislation.
At present there are approximately 1300 premises, ranging from food factories,
bakeries, butchers' shops, hotels, restaurants, takeaway food premises,
and mobile shops and catering vehicles.
HEALTH PROMOTION
We are actively involved in a variety of strategies to promote the work
of the Department within the wider Community. This involves for example
speaking to pupils in school; promoting National Food Safety Week;
working with Primary school children in "Danger Detectives";
and involvement through the Health Education Board for Scotland in promoting
healthy eating.
 TRAINING
The Council is an Approved Training Centre and can deliver courses
on behalf of The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland. Staff
are also involved in assisting the local college in delivering Intermediate
Courses.
FOOD POISONING
 We
are responsible for investigating suspected Food Poisoning cases notified
to us by the Community Health Specialist of the Health Board, and it is
our job to find out how this occurs and to instigate measures to prevent
recurrence. What at first appear to be isolated, sporadic cases
may turn out to be a major incident, if all the patients ate at the same
canteen, or had attended the same wedding reception for example. Happily
the incidence of such outbreaks is low.
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