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Food Standards Scotland has been made aware of reports concerning misleading and potentially intimidating approaches by consultants to food business operators. Recent incidents highlight instances where businesses have been pressured into paying for services under misleading pretences. 

For example, Falkirk Council has reported that an owner of a local food business reported that a ‘very pushy’ representative had made contact wanting £200 per month from the business and followed up with three phone calls.

To ensure clarity and protect businesses, we want to reaffirm the following key points: 

• Local authority Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) and Food Safety Officers do not issue fines during food inspections. Instead, they provide advice and clear timescales for any required improvements. 
• Advice from local authority food safety teams is often available free of charge. Businesses seeking guidance may wish to contact their local authority before engaging with external consultants. 
• Local authorities do not routinely work directly with private consultants. If an individual claims to be affiliated with a council or regulatory body, businesses should verify their credentials. 
• All official Environmental Health and Food Safety Officers carry local authority identification and communicate via official email addresses. 
• Any instances of aggressive or misleading behaviour should be reported to the relevant local authority and, if necessary, to Police Scotland. 

An investigation by Which? a consumer watchdog has revealed inadequate staffing levels for trading standards in many areas of the United Kingdom.

As part of a Freedom of Information request into capacity and performance, consumer group Which? contacted 187 trading standards services in England, Wales, and Scotland. Reponses were received by November 2024.

Which? said some areas have fewer than one trading standards officer per 100,000 people and there are situations where small teams of staff are responsible for enforcing certain areas of compliance by some of the world’s biggest businesses.

Trading standards officers have a range of responsibilities including the safety of consumer goods, food labeling and allergen requirements, and animal health and welfare.

About two thirds of trading standards services that answered Which?’s question about allocating resources said that low staffing levels meant they could not investigate tip-offs at least some of the time.

Which? said funding was a big factor but also called on the government to review and reform trading standards by looking at prioritizing resources more effectively and the sharing of services, better use of intelligence, and a greater role for national regulators. 

Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy, said: “Our research shows that trading standards is no longer fit for purpose. Millions of people face a postcode lottery, which dictates whether they get adequate protection from crime, dangerous products and blatant rip-offs.”

Hear the findings of the investigation – Which? Shorts podcast: why trading standards isn’t fit for purpose – Which? News

Guidance for food businesses for the setting of product shelf-life has been published by Food Standards Scotland.

The purpose of the document is to help food businesses comply with the requirements of Regulation (EC) 2073/2005 that the food safety criteria applicable throughout the shelf-life of the product can be met under reasonably foreseeable conditions of distribution, storage and use.

It aims to outline good practice in determining and verifying the shelf-life of a food product to support FBOs, and to also help authorised food officers carry out their duties to enforce this regulation. It also provides theoretical examples of the use of experimental studies in shelf-life setting.

While the overarching responsibility for food safety rests with Food Business Operators, this documents contains a comprehensive lists of factors and considerations applicable to shelf-life determination (validation) and verification in order to assist businesses in complying with the legal requirements, that the food safety criteria applicable throughout the shelf-life can be met under reasonably foreseeable conditions of distribution, storage and use.

A study published in the journal Food Control reveals more needs to be done to ensure that the growth of dark kitchens is accompanied by effective food safety measures. 

Dark kitchens offer ready-to-eat meals for delivery or takeout through online platforms, including social media, mobile applications, restaurant websites or via phone/email.  The term ‘dark’ in dark kitchens refers to a lack of visible retail presence.  In 2020, it was estimated that more than 750 dark kitchens were operating in the UK.

A study involving a survey and two focus group discussions with Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) and 16 interviews with dark kitchen owners and tenants was conducted in England between April and May 2024. 

The journal revealed multiple challenges faced by dark kitchen operators in managing food safety in shared spaces, food handling during delivery, high turnover of staff, and delays in updating menu changes with online aggregators.

There were struggles in maintaining hygiene and cross-contamination risks because of shared resources and conflicts over responsibility for pest control. Operators mentioned how the food handling practices of delivery drivers was concerning, based on consumer complaints.

Two strategies were shared by dark kitchen operators to address some of these challenges. They include training and more frequent food hygiene inspections.

A total of 123 responses were received from 91 local authorities in England. The majority had inspected a dark kitchen.

Issues found by EHOs in identifying and inspecting these sites included resource constraints, lack of dark kitchens’ visibility, multiple trading names, insufficient guidance from regulators, communication difficulties, difficult working conditions in some kitchens, and problems identifying where responsibility lies. Some dark kitchen operators were unaware they are required to register.

EHOs mentioned revising registration forms to ensure dark kitchens include details of whether they operate under other trading names. They suggested using fixed penalty notices as a deterrent for businesses that fail to register to create a financial consequence for non-compliance.

Councils sometimes need to rely on customer complaints or tip-offs from other businesses before they become aware of a dark kitchen. One issue was the uncertain or sporadic operating hours which make it difficult for EHOs to visit and inspect the sites. Another was the inspection of shared kitchen space used by several different businesses at the same time. This made the visit more challenging, especially in determining responsibilities and how staff from different operations ensure hygiene.

The study highlighted the important role that online aggregators, such as UberEats, Just Eat and Deliveroo, can play in supporting local authorities, as they have the ability to monitor and ensure vetting of food businesses before listing them on their platforms.

“This study indicates that more needs to be done to ensure that the inevitable growth of dark kitchens are accompanied by effective food safety measures. The operating model of dark kitchens pose different challenges due to shared kitchen spaces, multiple trading names and sporadic operational times,” according to the researchers.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) have published guidance on the public health management of hepatitis A infection. 

It is available on the PHS website and can be accessed using this link: Guidance for the public health management of hepatitis A 

It was produced collaboratively by a multi-disciplinary Guidance Development Group who used Health protection guidance: method for guidance development. A full methods statement is available in the guidance. 

This guidance is for all professionals involved in the public health response to hepatitis A cases and outbreaks.   

Key messages about this guidance: 

• It serves as a standalone guide for the public health management of hepatitis A in Scotland.
  • The UKHSA Guidance for the Public Health Management of Hepatitis A provides the evidence base for the recommendations in this guidance.  
• It is aligned with UKHSA advice on case and contact definitions for use by public health professionals, exclusion, hygiene measures, and eligibility for prophylaxis. 
• A new laboratory and testing section has been developed to outline recommendations and pathways specific to Scotland. 
• A new risk assessment tool has been included for assessing food handler contacts after 14 days of exposure.  
• A new section providing advice on ‘blood, tissue and cell donation’ is available in the guidance (this is not featured in the UKHSA guidance). It provides advice on liaising with Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) when: 
  • Hepatitis A cases or contacts have recently donated blood, tissue or cells or hepatitis A outbreaks or clusters are suspected. 
  • Asymptomatic cases have been identified through SNBTS plasma for medicines universal screening programme. 
• An Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) was undertaken to consider any unintended or differential impact arising from implementing the recommendations in the guidance and includes mitigations where negative impacts have been identified. 
• A standardised national surveillance questionnaire for hepatitis A is currently under development to support the use of the guidance.

Message from REHIS President Alan Morrison

Dear REHIS members

I am delighted to be taking up the role of REHIS President, in the Institutes 150th year and thank you for your continued support to our professional Institute. It seems a long time ago since I embarked on my environmental health career with Moray District Council with the ambition to make a difference to public health, help people, have an enjoyable job and, one day maybe, be President of REHIS. Thanks for giving me this opportunity and will work hard to support the work of REHIS and serve you, as we rely on your membership.

One of our early priorities was considering how we celebrate our 150 years of REHIS  (established in 1983 after the merger of the Sanitary Association of Scotland (founded on 20 January 1875) and the Scottish Institute of Environmental Health set up in 1973). My thanks to all members of our Working Group and our plans were highlighted to members in a communication from the Chief Executive and via this link CELEBRATING 150 YEARS OF PROTECTING THE SCOTTISH POPULATION – REHIS. This will cumulate in our 150-anniversary Forum (“Reflecting on the Past, Looking to the Future”) and dinner in September, when the Institute timeline will be launched. 

Other priorities for this year include the Institutes finances, the qualification pathways to environmental health including discussions on the degree and possible MSc route;  engaging with our members, training centres and stakeholders; and delivering our Strategic Plan.  The current financial climate has impacted many businesses, local authorities and families, and REHIS is no different.  We rely on healthy membership levels and income from our community training program to deliver and extend the professional qualification/ competency of the profession, support you and to promote environmental health. Work is ongoing in both these areas. Retaining your membership and attracting new members is essential and our Membership Action Plan seeks to target these areas. Your continued support and REHIS membership would be appreciated, and I encourage you to promote the benefits of REHIS membership to your peers and welcome your ideas on what more REHIS can do for you.

I look forward to working closely with our Senior Vice President, Lindsey-Anne McNeill, our Junior Vice President, John Murray;  members of Council (old and new) and all members on a very busy programme of work in the coming year.  

Let’s all work together in promoting the profession, the Institute and celebrating our 150th year!

Continuing Professional Development

CPD submissions for calendar year 2024 require to be with the Institute by 31 January 2025.

The Institute’s Scheme of CPD provides a way for Members of the Institute to evidence their ongoing professional development in an independently assessed way. For EHOs this also offers a means to achieve Chartered EHO status. We encourage all members to submit their CPD through the REHIS website, members only section. For information about the updated CPD scheme please CPD – REHIS

Community Training

The Institute is holding the Presenters Update Seminar (in person) on 12 March 2025 at the COSLA conference Centre, Edinburgh. Provisionally scheduled are a variety of speakers from Industry, Environmental Health, Allergy Action, the Suzy Lamplugh Trust and REHIS to present on a wide range of topics in Food Hygiene, HACCP, Health and Safety and other related topics. The booking information has been sent out to all centres but for more information, please contact the Director of Training.

REHIS Staff Vacancies There are two vacant positions at REHIS, please see details here Vacancies – REHIS. If anyone is at all interested in either of these positions, but wish more information, please contact the Chief

According to a study published in the journal Epidemiology and Infection, links the outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O145:H28 in the UK in May-June 2024 to pre-packed sandwiches.

In May 2024, public health agencies and laboratories identified an increase in stool specimens submissions and patients testing positive for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Whole genome sequencing (WGS) identified serotype O145:H28 stx2a/eae as the causative agent. It was a re-emergence of an STEC cluster investigated in 2023, where no source could be confirmed, said the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

By early July 2024, 288 cases had been linked to the cluster. Most were adults and females, 129 people were hospitalised with 39 percent attending emergency care. England had more than 180 cases, while about 60 people were sick in Scotland, 30 in Wales, and a few in Northern Ireland.

Symptom onset dates of primary cases ranged from April 29 to June 17. They had a median age of 29 and ranged from 1 to 89 years old. There were nine cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and two deaths.

Since 2020, STEC O145:H28 has been in the top five most common E. coli serotypes reported in England and Scotland.

Descriptive epidemiology and analytical studies identified consumption of nationally distributed pre-packed sandwiches as a common food exposure. The implicated food businesses recalled ready-to-eat sandwiches and wraps containing lettuce in mid-June.

Eleven of 15 cases interviewed with a trawling questionnaire reported eating pre-packaged sandwiches from different national retailers.

Food chain investigations identified the sandwich producer that supplied the retailers during May 2024. The producer had sourced lettuce from farms in England.

Domestically produced apollo lettuce was the most likely source of contamination. Samworth Brothers, This! and Greencore Group recalled a range of sandwich products.

Location of an animal reservoir or mechanisms of crop contamination are currently unclear. Possible routes include a failure in control measures protecting the crop from agricultural run-off, contamination of water or growing materials used in lettuce production, or contaminated seeds. 

Test results have been negative for STEC but general or indicator E. coli was identified in sandwich and lettuce products, indicating a possible contamination event.

A message posted in European surveillance systems revealed none of the 13 countries that replied were affected.

Ready-to-eat salad vegetables are vulnerable to contamination with pathogens at the pre-harvest level via flooding, rainwater run-off, or irrigation water containing animal feces. Current methods for washing and decontaminating fresh produce cannot guarantee that pathogens will be removed. Controls to minimize the risk of fecal contamination during growing, handling, and processing are important.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) have published Health protection guidance: method for guidance development.

This method sets out how health protection guidance should be developed in Scotland. It combines and updates the six previous method documents grouped under the SHPN framework for health protection guidance development.

PHS have brought together all guidance for health protection within this document and simplified the process of development.

This method is intended to instruct all those involved in guidance development, in Public Health Scotland (PHS) and across the Scottish Health Protection Network (SHPN).

It is available on the PHS website and can be accessed using this link: https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/health-protection-guidance-method-for-guidance-development/health-protection-guidance-method-for-guidance-development/

A full set of related resources (e.g. templates and forms we use in our work) is also provided: Supporting resources – Developing our guidance

Any feedback on the method can be sent to phs.guidance@phs.scot.  

Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) are to be revised and updated to give consumers a clearer picture of their home’s energy performance and to link better with the drive to cut emissions from homes and buildings.

Changes proposed include the introduction of a new rating system which will give clearer information on the fabric energy efficiency of a property; the emissions, efficiency and running costs of its heating system; and the cost of energy to run the home.

The EPC format will also be redesigned to make it easier to understand, and the validity of EPCs will be reduced from ten to five years to ensure consumers have more up-to-date information.

EPC Reform Consultation: Government Response

Subject to Parliamentary approval, the new regulations, new EPC rating system and redesigned certificates are expected to be brought into force during 2026.

 Proposed changes include:

• a new EPC rating system for domestic buildings, which will give clearer information on the fabric energy efficiency of a property; the emissions, efficiency and running costs of its heating system; and the cost of energy to run the home to standardised conditions;
• a new EPC rating system for non-domestic buildings;
• a redesigned EPC certificate, based on a first phase of user testing, and to be followed by a second phase prior to regulations coming into force;
• reduction of the validity period of EPCs from 10 to five years to ensure consumers have more up-to-date information;
• development of a new dynamic EPC user interface to sit alongside the published EPC;
• introduction of strengthened operational governance arrangements for EPC assessors and Approved Organisations to enhance quality assurance for consumers;
• establishing a new technical infrastructure to replace the current Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) with the new UK Home Energy Model (HEM) calculation methodology, together with a new EPC Register, where we will share significant parts with the UK Government;

A previous consultation considered proposals to reform EPCs so that they better support Scotland’s journey to net zero.

A technical consultation will follow on the level of EPC lodgement fees to support new, critical technical infrastructure. This will also give stakeholders a further opportunity to contribute to the development of the new regulations.

EPCs in Scotland remain a source of information only, unlike in other parts of the UK where they are linked to minimum energy efficiency standards.

The Scottish Health Protection Network (SHPN) guidance for Public health management of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection has been updated.

The guidance is intended for all professionals involved in the health protection or public health response to Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) cases and outbreaks including environmental health departments.

The guidance includes information on:

• case and contact definitions for use by public health professionals
• recommended public health actions for cases and contacts
• outbreak identification and response

Updates to the guidance include:

• Section added in recognition of relative difference in severity in relation to stx subtype
• Higher risk category for children expanded from under 5 years to 5 and under (up to sixth birthday)
• No public health action beyond enhanced surveillance form ​to be taken on stx negative O157
• Asymptomatic testing of the whole population in a setting (e.g. an entire nursery class) not routinely recommended
• New section on health inequalities

Celebrating 150 Years

REHIS is celebrating its 150-year anniversary with a series of events and projects – and a very special tartan reflecting its long history.

The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland has been at the forefront of efforts to improve the health of Scotland’s people since 1875, through education, training and qualifications.

Now REHIS is planning a year of celebrations, kicking off with the creation of a colourful tartan that cleverly uses the Institute’s history as inspiration. Created by Tartan Caledonia, the design incorporates the colours of the official REHIS crest and boasts thread counts that mark the year of its inception. To see the new tartan and understand its history, refer to REHIS 150 Tartan – REHIS

The Institute was established after the merger of the Sanitary Association of Scotland (founded on 20 January 1875) and the Scottish Institute of Environmental Health set up in 1973. The two organisations merged in 1983 to form REHIS.  On 8 March 2001, the Queen signed the seal for the Institute to be incorporated by Royal Charter. The first published papers of the Sanitary Association in 1890 describe the appointment of an Examination Board to hold “periodical examinations in sanitary science, for the purpose of granting certificates of competency for the office of sanitary inspector”.

The papers went on to state “ if the public, and more especially the health committees connected with local authorities, can be induced to study the syllabus of subjects we have framed, every one of which subjects has a special bearing upon the health of the community as well as each individual, and a full knowledge of which is necessary to the attaining of our Certificate of Competency, they will see the necessity of having the men, into whose hands they have placed such heavy responsibilities, being thoroughly trained for the duties, and when they have appointed them, help them in their work, and encourage them in every possible way, in the faithful and efficient discharge of their obligations”. 

The lofty ideals of the Association are just as relevant, with the role of the Environmental Health Profession and REHIS members more important than ever in today’s world. Along with the REHIS Diploma in Environmental Health, the Institute awards qualifications in Food Hygiene, Food and Health, HACCP, Control of Infection, Occupational Health and Safety and First Aid. Courses leading to REHIS qualifications are available at Approved Training Centres throughout Scotland. Many of the qualifications are recognised by industry, not just in Scotland but nationally and internationally. 

The Institute is also committed to Update Events throughout the year, keeping our members appraised of the latest thinking on food safety, health and safety, pollution and public health.

A working group of members are involved in a series of projects to mark the 150-year anniversary. These include: a new 150 logo; a video montage of members’ reflections on how REHIS has influenced and shaped their working lives; and a timeline of key events in the life of the Institute. The timeline will begin as far back as 1842, when social reformer Sir Edwin Chadwick produced a report on the Sanitary Conditions of the Labouring Population of Great Britain. It will incorporate important Acts of Parliament, such as the Public Health (Scotland) Act 1897 and the Public Health etc. (Scotland) Act 2008, through to more recent events such as the crucial role played by EHOs and our members during the recent pandemic.

The Institute will host a 150-anniversary Forum with a dinner in September, when the timeline will be launched. The forum theme will be “Reflecting on the Past, Looking to the Future”. A number of locations are being considered (subject to cost and availability) and we are keen to combine this with an “Open Door” at the REHIS offices in Torphichen Street, where a wealth of photos, documents and newspaper articles will be on display.

The year will end with a special anniversary edition of the REHIS Journal, featuring reflections from Past Presidents and key events in the Institute’s history. 

The Institute is immensely proud of the work it has undertaken in the past 150 years; how it has evolved and how it has addressed the many challenges facing the profession.  Looking to the future, it will continue to improve and protect public health in Scotland through its education programmes.

We encourage all REHIS members to promote and participate in the year ahead to mark this huge milestone and the work of the Institute.

For more information, please contact the Chief Executive contact@