Safety of food is good in the city
More than 2,500 food outlets in Brighton & Hove have a safety rating of satisfactory or higher, new figures reveal.
From a total of 2,752 retailers and catering establishments who are inspected by council food safety officers, more than 1,800 have the top rating of 5 in the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme.
The figures have been released as part of this week’s National Food Safety Week (4 – 10 June) which is shining a light on food safety, and the team working to help ensure the food we buy and eat is safe.
The city council has a team of environmental health officers whose job it is to inspect local food businesses to ensure hygiene standards are first class.
The scheme has six hygiene ratings from 0 (urgent improvement required) to 5 (very good). More than 96 per cent of food outlets (2646) are ‘broadly compliant’, meaning they have a rating of three and above, with just under four per cent (106) being unsatisfactory or below.
The scheme covers businesses supplying or serving food direct to consumers such as restaurants, pubs, cafés, takeaways, food vans or stalls, canteens, hotels, supermarkets, schools, hospitals and care homes.
Councillor Gill Mitchell, chair of the city’s environment, transport and sustainability committee, said: “Our city has a fantastic and well-deserved reputation for excellent food from around the world. The dedicated work of our environmental health officers means the vast majority of our food outlets provide safe food that people can trust.
“The team works hard to ensure that food in Brighton & Hove is safe so our residents and visitors can dine out with peace of mind.”
Cllr Mitchell added: “Our Food Hygiene Rating Scheme empowers the public to make informed decisions about where to buy and eat food, and it’s also proved hugely effective in driving up standards in food businesses across the city.”
The scheme, run in partnership with the Food Standards Agency, gives people clear information about a business's hygiene standards, and all ratings are published online. More information can be found on the Food Standards Agency website.