Food Safety

The primary aim of the Comhairle's Food Safety Service is to ensure that food sold in and from the Outer Hebrides complies with legal requirements to ensure safe food practices and premises, with the primary functions of enforcing legislation, training people and promoting high standards.

Officers inspect food premises and advise businesses on hygiene, labelling and composition. Where a breach of food legislation is found, officers have powers to serve notice, seize or detain unfit food. They can also prohibit processes, the use of unsatisfactory equipment or in extreme cases close premises.

We participate in the Food Hygiene Information Scheme and following an inspection a business will be given a Pass or Improvement Required rating. The food hygiene rating or inspection result given to a business reflects the standards of food hygiene found on the date of inspection or visit by one of our officers.

The current list of Western Isles Food Premises is available on the Food Standards Scotland website.