Check out the rating this Valentine’s Day
Anyone planning to treat their loved one to a romantic meal this Valentine’s Day is reminded that the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme can help in making a decision on where to eat out.
The scheme helps people to make a choice by providing information about hygiene standards. Restaurants, pubs, cafes, takeaways and hotels are included in the scheme. Anyone cooking a special meal at home might also want to check out the scheme, as it also includes retail outlets such as supermarkets and other food shops.
Each business is given a hygiene rating when it is inspected by a food safety officer from Shropshire Council, to show how closely the business is meeting the requirements of food hygiene law.
The council’s food safety team has been rating premises since June 2010, and was one of the first in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to work in partnership with the Food Standards Agency to provide this consistent approach. The team has now awarded food hygiene ratings to more than 1,800 premises across the county.
Councillor Steve Charmley, Cabinet member with responsibility for food safety, said:
“With Valentine’s celebrations just around the corner and people making bookings at local restaurants, pubs and hotels to wine and dine with their loved ones, we would urge people to not just consider the menu, but check the food hygiene rating as well.
“The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme has been designed to make sure that the ratings given to businesses are fair. It rewards those businesses that are achieving high standards and also helps to bring up standards in those that require improvement. The scheme plays an important role in the council’s wider work to protect consumers and drive up standards in the food industry.
“While food hygiene might not be the most romantic of thoughts, by checking online or looking out for the distinctive green and black ratings stickers that businesses are encouraged to display, it could help to ensure you have a great Valentine’s Day.”
The highest food hygiene rating is five (very good), followed by four (good), three (satisfactory), two (improvement necessary), one (major improvement necessary), and zero (urgent improvement necessary).
To search for ratings visit www.shropshire.gov.uk/foodhygienescheme
More information on the scheme is also available by going to these webpages or by calling the food safety team on 0345 678 9000.
Further information
- The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme is not a guide to food quality
- When the business is inspected by Shropshire Council, the food safety officer will look at how well the business is meeting the law on food hygiene. This includes:
- how hygienically the food is handled in preparation, cooking, cooling and storage
- the condition and structure of the building including cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation and equipment
- how the business manages and records what it does to make sure food is safe
- Any business should be able to achieve the top rating of five
- Council food safety officers will explain to the person who owns or manages the business if improvements need to be made; what they are and how they can achieve a higher rating
- Not all food businesses will have a rating yet and will therefore not be listed on the website.
- Pictures of the five-rated sticker can be found at http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/webpage/ratingsdownloads
