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Following the launch of a new food hygiene scheme launched by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), a total of 13 businesses in Flintshire have been ordered to improve their standards.

The FSA food hygiene scheme involves rating businesses such as hotels, restaurants, pubs, cafes and food shops on a number of requirements.

Inspectors check how food is handled, prepared, cooked and stored, as well as how it is cooled and reheated. The condition of the premises is also taken into account, to make sure it is clean, well-lit, well-ventilated and properly laid out.

Finally, FSA officers look at how businesses manage and record their food hygiene procedures, as well as how they equip their staff with the right food safety training.

Businesses scoring well in the scheme receive a five-star award, whilst those deemed to be underperforming get a one-star rating. A total of thirteen businesses in Flintshire have recently been found to be sub-standard with regards to food hygiene, including:

– Bells Café in Holywell
– Country Spice in Hope
– The Crown Inn in Pantymwyn
– Whittles Coffee Shop in Queensferry
– Fast Wok in Penyffordd

Maria Battle, from the Watchdog Consumer Focus Wales, explained how food hygiene ratings should be publicly displayed by businesses, giving those that need to improve an incentive to do it. She said:

“Restaurants and takeaways should display the hygiene ratings given to them by food hygiene inspectors so people can make an informed choice of where they and their families eat.”