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Thinking of eating out this Christmas?
Published: 07/11/2014
If you’re planning that special Christmas meal with work colleagues, friends or
family the Food Standards Agency would like to remind you to ‘look before you
book’.
Christmas is a time to enjoy good company and good food without worrying about
food poisoning. But the truth is, you can’t tell a restaurant’s hygiene
standards by how clean and tidy the staff look or by how busy it is.
It’s the things you can’t see – like germs spread by bad hygiene practices -
that you need to consider. There’s one easy way to set your mind at rest –
check the food hygiene rating.
The food hygiene rating tells you about hygiene standards in restaurants and
other food businesses. It’s really easy to check. Just go online and check the
Food Standards Agency website: www.food.gov.uk/ratings or if you’re out and
about check for the green and black sticker; if you can’t see one, just ask.
The ratings are determined by local authority food safety officers and run from
0 -5, with a 5 rating meaning a very good level of food hygiene. Since November
last year food businesses in Wales are required by law to display their rating
sticker following an inspection. Nearly 93 per cent of food businesses are
rated 3 or better so there are plenty of places with good standards and you can
easily avoid taking your family to those not meeting the grade. If you don’t
see a green and black sticker in the window or you spot a low rating online,
you can make a better informed choice.
Nina Purcell, Director of the Food Standards Agency in Wales, agrees: “This
Christmas, do this one little thing for peace of mind when eating out. Take a
moment to check the food hygiene rating, pick the right place, and enjoy a
great meal out.”
Councillor Kevin Jones, Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Waste
Strategy, Public Protection and Leisure said: “It’s easy for people in
Flintshire to check hygiene ratings online and choose a restaurant for their
Christmas parties that takes food hygiene seriously. This is an important time
for local businesses. A good food hygiene rating is something to be proud of,
and it matters to consumers. Enjoy Christmas but eat safely.”
For more information, visit
www.food.gov.uk/business-industry/caterers/hygieneratings