Getting food poisoning is not only unpleasant, but in some cases it can actually be dangerous. There are many types of illness that you can get from food that has not been handled, cooked or stored in a hygienic way. Something that you certainly don’t want to feel, is that you are at risk when you go out to eat, or order a takeaway. There are many organisations that provide food businesses with food safety information, such as these food safety consultants mqmconsulting.co.uk, and there is also something else in place for the customer. The national food hygiene rating system.
This is something that was introduced in 2010 and uses a 5 star system so that customers can see at a glance what score the establishment has, allowing people to make their choice when choosing a place to eat, or to get a takeaway from.
During the inspection, the person checking the place will look at the storage, handling and preparation of food, as well as the overall cleanliness of the kitchens where the food is prepared. The inspector will also check things like pest control, as this is also linked to food hygiene.
The best rating that can be achieved during an inspection is a 5 star rating, with the worst being 0 stars. Places that have a very low rating must act on this immediately, and if the standards are deemed to be so low that they cause a significant risk to health, then it is possible that the whole business or part of it could be shut down straight away, until the issues that have been highlighted by the inspection have been addressed by the business.
In England, it is not the law for a business to display their food hygiene rating on their premises, although it is something that is encouraged. However, you can find out what the star rating of a business is by looking it up online.
Businesses that have not got as many stars or have been asked to make improvements will have more regular inspections to ensure that they are working to make changes and to improve their food hygiene standards.
