Are you planning the perfect Valentine’s date?

Health bosses are advising romantic couples to take precautions – when it comes to booking the perfect Valentine’s Day meal, that is!

The Food Standards Agency is urging diners to ‘look before you book’ and check the food hygiene rating before deciding where to go on that special date.

The ratings are all online – at www.food.gov.uk/ratings - and are on a green and black sticker displayer in premises. The scores range from 0 to 5, and are determined by the council’s food safety officers.

Some 92% of food businesses are rated a 3 or higher, so there are plenty of places with good food hygiene standards to choose from.

Catriona Stewart, head of the Food Hygiene Ratings Team at the FoodStandards Agency, said: “On Valentine’s Day people are focused on making sure that special lunch or dinner goes well and that they make a good impression with their date. We want them to factor in the food hygiene rating when deciding where to go and then enjoy their romantic meal out.”

Councillor Andrea Simpson, Bury Council’s spokesperson for healthier living, said: “When planning your special meal out, make sure you check the hygiene ratings online and choose a restaurant that takes food hygiene seriously. This is also an important time for local food businesses, as a good food hygiene rating is something to be proud of. It matters to customers, so we are encouraging all businesses in Bury to display their rating.”

For more information, visit www.food.gov.uk/business-industry/caterers/hygieneratings

ENDS

Issued: 16 January 2015.

Notes to editors:

The Food Hygiene Ratings can be found at www.food.gov.uk/ratings

Frequently asked questions and answers can be found at www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/hygiene-rating-schemes/rating-schemes-faqs-en

•   Bury Council and the FSA want to:
  • o  give consumers information about hygiene standards in food outlets so that they can make informed choices
• o  drive up hygiene standards in food businesses
• o  reduce the incidence of foodborne illness (this is  estimated at around 500,000 cases annually from the main causes of foodborne illness. Including all types of food borne disease could double this figure to nearer 1 million cases a year).
•   The scheme covers businesses supplying or serving food direct to consumers such as restaurants, takeaways, cafés, pubs, hotels, schools, hospitals, care homes, supermarkets and other retailers.

  There are six hygiene ratings ranging from ‘0’ (urgent improvement required) at the bottom to ‘5’ (very good) at the top.

  The scheme is designed so that all businesses, no matter how small can achieve the top rating by meeting (not exceeding) the legal requirements and any improvements needed to get a higher rating are no more than is required by law.