Glossary
What is an EHO (Environmental Health Officer)?
An EHO is an Environmental Health Officer — a local authority officer who enforces food hygiene and related public health law. In hospitality they inspect premises, review practices and records, and can influence your Food Hygiene Rating.
“EHO-ready” means your records and systems are organised for inspection — not that software is approved by an officer or guarantees a rating.
What EHOs typically look at
Inspectors assess how you handle food safely: structure and cleanliness, temperature control, allergen information, pest control, training, and whether management systems match reality on the floor.
Records matter when they show consistent control — temperatures, cleaning, corrective actions when something fails. Gaps, back-filled sheets or unreadable WhatsApp threads undermine confidence even if the kitchen “usually” does the right thing.
Preparing without panic
Calm inspections come from habits, not last-minute printing. Digital evidence packs help managers pull branch history for a date range and spot missing checks before the visit.
Never invent records. Due diligence only works if it reflects real work completed at the time.
Frequently asked questions
Is any software EHO-approved?
No. Officers assess your premises and practices. Tools can organise evidence; they cannot approve you or guarantee a score.
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