Some 9 million cases of food poisoning are reported in the UK every year, mainly as a result of a lack of hygiene in food storage, transport, handling and preparation. In the interests of food hygiene, a very strict regime of EU and UK legislation applies to the carriage of perishable and quick-frozen foodstuffs, and imposes a range of controls on matters of food hygiene and on temperature monitoring in food storage facilities and food-carrying vehicles.
When transporting food, the conveyance and/or containers used must be clean and maintained in good repair and condition. Other foods or other commodities which could contaminate food must not be carried in the same containers.