Service Description: The scheme help consumers choose where to eat out or shop for food by giving them information about the hygiene standards in restaurants, cafés, takeaways, hotels and food shops. The scheme also encourage businesses to improve hygiene standards. The overarching aim is to reduce the incidence of foodborne illness.
Also known as:- Score on the Doors
Answer: An environmental health officer from the local authority inspects a business to check that it meets the requirements of food hygiene law. At the inspection, the officer will check: • how hygienically the food is handled – how it is prepared, cooked, re-heated, cooled and stored • the condition of the structure of the buildings – the cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation and other facilities • how the business manages and records what it does to make sure food is safe The hygiene standards found at the time of inspection are then rated on a scale. At the bottom of the scale is ‘0’ – this means urgent improvement is required. At the top of the scale is ‘5’ – this means the hygiene standards are very good. The rating given shows how well the business does overall. The business may do better in some areas and less well in others and the rating takes this into account. This includes those areas that need improving the most. The officer will explain to the person who owns or manages the business what improvements need to be made and what action they can take to improve their hygiene rating. - Related Link