Customers will be better informed when eating out, thanks to the introduction of a new scheme which tells them about the hygiene standards of food outlets.
Cardiff Council has introduced the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) across the City. From 1st October 2010 all inspections of eligible food businesses have been made public.
The new Food Hygiene ratings is a national scheme, developed by the Food Standards Agency Wales (FSA) in conjunction with local authorities and provides information on food hygiene standards to help people choose where to eat or shop for food.
Food outlets, such as restaurants, takeaways and pubs, are inspected by Environmental Health Officers from Cardiff Council to check that their hygiene standards meet legal requirements. The hygiene standards found at these inspections are rated on a scale ranging from 0 (urgent improvement necessary) to 5 (very good) following an unannounced food hygiene inspection.
The ratings are publicised on the Food Standards Agency website at www.food.gov.uk/ratings and there is a certificate and window sticker that businesses are encouraged to display – making it easier for the public to see how each food business is complying with the law.
Councillor Bridges, Chair of Cardiff’s Public Protection Committee said: “We have joined the FHRS as we can see the benefits for Cardiff’s food businesses and the people that eat or shop in them. The public will be able to use the ratings when deciding which outlets to visit and we hope that food companies will recognise that displaying a good hygiene rating is good for business. When customers expect to see a rating, there is a real incentive for food businesses to seek to make improvements to their hygiene standards.”
Rob Wilkins who heads up the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme team for the FSA in Walessaid: “We are encouraging as many local authorities as possible to run the FHRS, so it is great news that Cardiff Council has announced their intention to use it. Around one million people suffer from food poisoning every year, and our aim in introducing the scheme is to reduce this. The ratings will give consumers a glimpse of what is going on in the kitchen when they eat out, or behind the scenes at the places they shop, before they make their decision about which place they prefer to visit.”
