News / Eateries urged to take food hygiene seriously
FOOD hygiene officers in Shetland have given assurances that it is safe to go out for a meal after a recent Guardian analysis dubbed the isles one of the worst areas for food hygiene in the country.
According to data provided by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), improvement notices have been served on 45 of 198 establishments in Shetland, 22.7 per cent of all local eateries.
Using a different methodology, Patti Dinsdale of the council’s environmental health department said 86 per cent of food providers in Shetland were compliant with regulations, more than in the cities of Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
However, Shetland is sixth from the bottom on the list of the 32 Scottish local authorities. By comparison, Orkney is top with a pass rate of 100 per cent.
Dinsdale said the improvements notices served by the council’s environmental health department could imply that eateries weren’t safe, but that, she insisted, was “not necessarily the case”.
“If we think there is an imminent risk to health and the food served deemed not safe to eat, then we would enact formal enforcement such as serving a prohibition notice,” she said.
While England is using a graded system displaying a five star food hygiene rating, Food Standards Scotland has adopted a black and white system that awards either a ‘pass’ or ‘improvements required’.
Those improvements could border on the ridiculous and could simply mean missing paperwork, according to one hotel owner.
Dinsdale acknowledged that the system wasn’t perfect, but urged restaurant owners not to sit on their laurels and deal with an improvement notice straight away.
“We give food premises every opportunity to comply; if they want to get a pass, they simply have to carry out the work required and then tell us to come back for a follow up inspection,” she said.
Different to England, there is currently no requirement on eateries in Scotland to display their food hygiene ratings.
During the last week, Shetland News contacted a number of local eateries that have been served with a hygiene improvement notice.
Not every business responded to the request for comment but those who did all insisted that food hygiene were taken very seriously.
Shetland Islands Council itself had improvement notices served on four of its outlets: Fair Isle Primary School, the care homes in Mid Yell and on Whalsay, as well as ports and harbours at Sella Ness.
SIC executive director for infrastructure, Maggie Sandison, said the council took food hygiene requirements very seriously.
“The latest food hygiene inspections highlight areas where officers have highlighted the need to improve systems and practices in these four premises.
“All the requirements in the inspection reports have been acted on by our staff, including improvements in temperature monitoring, record keeping, disinfection procedures, and hand-washing facilities,” she said.
Marketing manager for Mareel, Lauren Doughton, said food safety inspectors had highlighted a number of issues after visiting the art centre’s bistro in November last year.
“These included advice about covering exposed wood and using washable paint in the cafe bar as well as some procedural issues.
“All areas highlighted in the inspection report have since been acted upon, and we will continue to work with the FSA to ensure the highest standards of hygiene and food safety for all our customers,” she said.
And Caroline Mackenzie of Scalloway Hotel said: “The main reason for failing was that we required a new ventilation and extraction system in the kitchen.
“That was installed in May this year. We take our food safety responsibilities very seriously, and believe we are now compliant.
“We are awaiting a return visit by an environmental health officer to sign off the improvement works carried out.”
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