17.—(1) In this Act—
“authorised officer” has the meaning given in section 9,
“the Department” means the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety,
“end of the appeal period”, in relation to a food hygiene rating, has the meaning given in section 2(6);
“establishment” means an establishment within the meaning of Regulations (EC) 852/2004 and 853/2004,
“food” has the same meaning as in Regulation (EC) 882/2004,
“food business establishment” has the meaning given in section 1,
“food hygiene rating” has the meaning given in that section (but see also sections 3(10) and 4(10)),
“operator”, in relation to a food business establishment, has the meaning given in section 2,
“Regulation (EC) 852/2004” means Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs (as amended from time to time),
“Regulation (EC) 853/2004” means Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin (as amended from time to time), and
“Regulation (EC) 882/2004” means Regulation (EC) No. 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules (as amended from time to time).
(2) A reference in this Act to inspecting, or carrying out an inspection of, a food business establishment is (except in sections 3(9) and 4(2) and (3) where the context requires otherwise) to be read in accordance with section 1.
(3) A notification under section 2, 3 or 4 may, without prejudice to any method of service authorised under section 24 of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954, be sent by ordinary post; and accordingly, unless the contrary is proved, a notification sent by ordinary post is to be treated as received on the day on which it would have been delivered in the ordinary course of post (with references in this Act to when a notification, or something with it, is received being read in light of this subsection).