If you run a business in the hospitality sector, you’ll know that food hygiene regulations are very stringent. A lapse in food quality or contamination can cost your business dearly in terms of lost reputation or you might even be forced to close. Not to mention the hazard it poses to public health.
A pest problem is just one of the reasons why the food you produce or sell might become contaminated, so controlling pests is a crucial part of your business operations. Pest control is also a part of the Food Hygiene Rating for your business.
Food Hygiene Ratings
This is a scheme which is run by local authorities in England, Northern Ireland, and Wales. Restaurants, pubs, cafes, takeaways, hotels, supermarkets, and other food outlets are all given a rating from a food safety officer who looks at:
- How food is prepared, cooked, reheated, cooled and stored
- The condition of the premises in which food is produced, prepared, and stored
- What the business does to make sure the food it produces or sells is safe
The business is then given a rating from 0-5, and 5 is the best possible rating.
What happens if you’re given a low rating?
Businesses that are rated 0 or 1 need to urgently improve their hygiene standards. Food safety officers give guidance on what improvements should be made and how quickly they must be made. If there’s a high risk to public health however, they can close a business down immediately.
