News
Food outlet scoring system will benefit consumers
Customers at food outlets will be able to satisfy themselves that the food they are buying meets legal standards with all outlets required to display certificates of compliance issued by the Health Ministry.
The move comes in response to concern by Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) over food being treated with harmful chemicals and poor food preparation hygiene by middle and low-range food establishments even after offenders have been taken to court.
The newly-revised Health 800 (H800) form has been initiated by Ministry of Health with the co-operation of PHIs and municipal, urban and provincial councils to grade food outlets according to the standards they maintain.
One in eight outlets inspected last year (5,937 out of 48,640) were found to have unhygienic food-handling operations, and 7,352 faced court proceedings.
This year, PHIs raided 418 outlets in January alone, with 38 “fail” notices issued and 47 court orders taken out against owners.
PHI Union President M.G.U. Rohana said the H800 form had been introduced in 2012 but inefficiencies of the officers involved in the process had delayed the implementation until October 2014.
Mr. Rohana criticised food outlet owners for not maintaining strict standards and hiring cheap, untrained labour instead of skilled employees trained in proper food handling.
The H800 certification process has begun in the Colombo, Kandy and Kurunegala districts and the Uva Province as well as some other cities.
Health Ministry Food Control Administration Unit Assistant Director H. Tillekeratne said the graded certification process would compel owners to provide quality service or risk being demoted to a lower grade as well as face further penalties.
Outlets would need to keep a certificate to be produced at any time.
Outlets would be marked on storage facilities, building, location, food processing, food handling equipment, waste management, quality of food items, health condition of food handlers, security, utility facilities, water supply and other provisions and regulations imposed in the Food Act.
Grades would be awarded according to the points gained. An establishment has a score of 75 per cent or more will be classified A-grade, those who are 50-74 per cent B-grade, 25-49 per cent C-grade and zero to 24 per cent D-grade.
PHIs will inspect C and D-grade outlets every month, B-grade outlets every two months and A-grade outlets every three months.