The 2026 EHO checklist: Five key food storage and labelling checks
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In 2026, Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) are paying even closer attention to how kitchens store and label food.
With staffing pressures, menu changes, increasing allergen incidents, and seasonal turnover, simple mistakes can cost businesses their Food Hygiene Rating — or worse, lead to enforcement action.
Whether you’re running a café, pub, hotel, or dark kitchen, here are the five storage and labelling checks EHOs focus on during routine inspections, and what they mean for your team:
EHOs will check fridges, freezers, and dry stores. They will be looking for any food past its Use By date, this is a legal ‘cut-off point’ for safety. Selling or using food beyond this date is a criminal offence as bacteria may have multiplied to dangerous levels, high enough to cause food poisoning.
They may also check how Best Before dates are being managed. While it’s not illegal to sell food past its Best Before date (if it’s still safe), it can raise concerns about stock management, especially if there is a large number of food items found past the Best Before date.
When a product has been removed from its original packaging or opened you are expected to be able to keep track of when that product needs to be used.
This is where ‘secondary labelling’ with a revised Use By date, can be helpful. For example, packs of cooked meats often need to be used within two days of opening. If this isn’t labelled, staff might unknowingly serve food that’s potentially unsafe. For storage requirements for products ‘once opened’, refer to the manufacturer’s instructions on the label.
You also need to know the ingredients and allergen information for products that have been removed from the original packaging. This is essential to be able to provide Food Hypersensitive customers with accurate information about the ingredients and allergens in your products and dishes.
A clear system for labelling opened foods or those removed from their original packaging can help in achieving compliance and ensuring food safety.
EHOs will look at how allergenic foods are stored and labelled. Key checks include:
Are foods containing allergens clearly labelled?
Are allergen-containing and allergen-free foods stored separately?
Is there a system in place to prevent cross-contamination?
Effective labelling can help when it comes to allergen management.
First In, First Out (FIFO) is key for an effective stock control system. EHOs may check that older stock is used before newer products, and that storage areas are checked regularly for out-of-date or damaged products.
EHOs will check that storage areas are:
Clean, tidy, and well organised
Free from cross-contamination risks (e.g. raw food stored away from cooked and ready-to-eat food)
Operating at correct temperatures (chilled foods stored at 8°C or below and frozen foods at-18°C or colder)
Stocked with food stored off the floor, in proper containers, and fully covered
Clear labelling and well-organised storage go hand in hand. Both help prevent mistakes, make inspections smoother, and ultimately ensure food safety.
Digital labelling systems — including tools like Labl.it — are becoming more common in hospitality for managing expiry dates, allergens, and FIFO rotation more accurately across teams.
