Customers will be better informed when eating out in Carmarthenshire, thanks to the introduction of a new scheme which tells them about the hygiene standards of food outlets.
Carmarthenshire has announced the introduction of the Food Standards Agency national Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) across the county following inspections carried out from October 2010.
Food outlets, such as restaurants, takeaways and pubs, are inspected by food safety officers from Carmarthenshire County Council, to check that their hygiene standards meet legal requirements. The hygiene standards found at these inspections are rated on a scale ranging from zero at the bottom (which means ‘urgent improvement necessary’) to a top rating of five (‘very good’).
These ratings can be viewed on the FSA website at food.gov.uk/ratings or council website at http://www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk/english/environment/health/foodsafety/ratingscheme. The premises will be given a sticker and certificate and encouraged to display these at the entrance to their premises.
Head of public protection Philip Davies said: “The primary purpose of scores is to allow customers to make informed choices where they eat or purchase food from and we hope that this will encourage businesses to raise standards.”
Executive board member for public protection Cllr Pam Palmer said: “I am delighted that customers will in future have the ability to check the hygiene rating of premises before deciding whether to eat there or buy food from there.”
