IF you are treating your mum to a meal out this Mother’s Day, make sure you check the food hygiene rating.
That’s the message from a council which says that although her favourite restaurant might look amazing and be getting great reviews, it is not obvious how good its hygiene is.
The Food Standards Agency, with councils, runs the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme.
Restaurants, pubs, hotels, cafés, takeaways and other places that sell or serve food are given a food hygiene rating from zero to five when they are inspected by a food safety officer from the council.
The top rating of five means a business has good hygiene standards and every outlet should be able to reach this.
Stuart Wedgbury, Havant Borough Council’s service manager for environmntal health, said: ‘When dining out, especially with loved ones, you’ll choose to go to a place where you like the food and you know you’ll have a good time.
‘It also makes sense to check out the food hygiene rating as well. You might be surprised by some of the results.
‘It’s possible that a cheap takeaway might have a higher food hygiene rating than a smart, expensive restaurant.’
To check a food hygiene rating go to food.gov.uk/ratings or download the free food hygiene app from the website.
You can also look out for the distinctive green and black stickers that businesses are encouraged to display to tell their customers the rating they were given.
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