Food Hygiene Ratings – Are you proud to display yours?

As of 7^th October 2016 the display of Food Hygiene Rating stickers is now mandatory in Northern Ireland with this law also already enforced in Wales. As previously reported all food businesses must now publicly display their rating regardless of whether it is low or high.

In our opinion it seems like it is only matter of time before mandatory display becomes legislation in England…are you ready?

According to new analysis of data from the Food Standards Agency (FSA), one in seven takeaways in the UK have failed food hygiene inspections. Nationwide, more than 7,000 takeaways and 8,000 restaurants failed their inspections because they were dirty or had poor procedures for preparing food.

We want our all of our clients to be able to obtain and maintain a rating of '5'. Here are our top tips to help you maintain or improve your hygiene rating:

Key fundamental areas that the EHO focuses on when conducting food hygiene inspections are as follows:

1. A managed approach to pest control: The need for an integrated pest management system is of paramount concern in areas where pest activity is rife. It is expected that regular pest control visits by the pest control technician is conducted in conjunction with strict housekeeping protocols where all food sources/food debris are cleared to reduce the likelihood of pest attraction.
2. Authenticity of due diligence monitoring system:  When it comes to assessing the compliance of the due diligence system, it is key that the required checks (including opening checks, fridge freezer and core cooking) are conducted and documented in the specified time periods.
3. Prevention of cross contamination: In recent times Local Authority have placed significant focus on prevention of E.coli in commercial food establishments. It is essential that cooked and ready to eat foods are not cross contaminated by raw meat handling protocols.
4. Levels of personal hygiene: Protocols like hand washing procedures, wearing of clean chefs uniforms and personal hygiene habits are taken into account.

In addition to the above mentioned tips, good levels of cleanliness, evidence of food safety training and a good structural condition of the premises also play a role in ensuring that a good ‘Score On The Door’ rating is achieved.

Often complacency can result in standards dropping in a relatively short period of time. Ensuring that these key tips are upheld should enable you to retain or improve your rating.

If you need help or advice on achieving or maintaining a high food hygiene rating contact us.

Source and related articles:

http://www.cs-compliance.co.uk/food-hygiene-rating-stickers-mandatory-northern-ireland/

http://www.cs-compliance.co.uk/top-tips-to-maintain-your-5-stars/

http://www.cs-compliance.co.uk/scores-on-the-door-are-you-ready-to-display/

http://www.cs-compliance.co.uk/displaying-of-fraudulent-food-hygiene-rating-stickers/

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/takeaways-fail-food-hygiene-testing-on-seven-a7327261.html?utm_campaign=7583073_