FOOD HYGIENE STAR RATING EXPLAINED

The food hygiene rating sign can be found outside any premises where you can purchase food from, such as supermarkets and sandwiches shops, farms, butchers, but also hospital canteens and care homes. The food hygiene rating sign is a big black and green badge, stating the numbers 1 – 5. The number that is circled and highlighted, reflects the current food hygiene standard rating of that particular premises that was awarded during the last inspection by an Environmental Health Officer (EHO) from the relevant local authority.

Find out how 5 stars can help your business

The scale from 1 to 5 informs customers and visitors, not just of premises’ standards of hygiene and cleanliness, but also what is going on behind the scenes. The areas where you are not allowed to enter, such as the kitchen, the stock room, cellar or even the back yard. It also gives you an indication that their supply chain is vetted and approved and all their paperwork is up-to-date, such as the HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points).

 If you have ever watched Gordon Ramsey's kitchen nightmares you will have a good understanding of what inspectors are looking for when they turn up unannounced. The purpose of an unnanounced visit is that nobody from the premises was notified or had any inclination, that an EHO is coming to inspect. Furthermore, inspectors must be given full access at all times and nobody has the right to refuse entry.

As a customer you can feel assured, a food hygiene professional has taken their time to look behind closed doors and given advice where necessary for possible improvements. During an inspection, the EHO will check for the following points in order to score the business:

• Is there a system in place on how hygienically the food is handled, where the food is stored and is it kept at the right temperature?
• Is there a procedure followed for preparing, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storing food?

The next thing the Environmental Health Officer looks for is the condition and structure of the premises and building: 

• Is it clean?
• What is the layout like?
• Is there enough light in the building?
• Is there enough ventilation and is there a regular maintenance for the ventilation and facility in general in place?
• How does the business make sure their food is safe and can standards be maintained?

These elements are essential for making sure that food hygiene standards meet requirements and the food served or sold to you is safe to eat.

0 (zero), the lowest score, requires urgent improvement and 5 at the other end of the scale means, the hygiene standards are very good. If a low rating has been given to the business, the business will be re-inspected at a later date after recommended improvements have been carried out. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) does not offer an app for their food safety rating scheme and it is currently not compulsory for businesses to display the food hygiene rating sign at the door. 

But if you would like to know what score rating the restaurant, café or eatery you are going to visit has before you leave home, you can check this out by visiting www.food.gov.uk/ratings and adding the business’ name and location. However, the food hygiene rating scheme (FHRS) is not a guide to food quality. This is content in the awareness stage, aimed at turning strangers into visitors and high volume searches.