Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 18th April 2024 Issue no. 1110
Your industry news - first
The original and best - for over 20 years!
We strongly recommend viewing Cleanzine full size in your web browser. Click our masthead above to visit our website version.
Barbadian food hygiene standards to improve thanks to new government initiative
Of comfort perhaps to those lucky enough to be holidaying or conducting business in Barbados in future... the Barbadian Ministry of Health is launch an initiative next week aimed at promoting food hygiene and safety in the island's restaurant sector.
The Food Hygiene Award Programme will be initially launched in restaurants on the south coast in the catchment area of the Randal Phillips Polyclinic, and participating restaurants will be given ratings of up to five stars, depending on their level of food hygiene.
The aim, according to Nation News, is to assess current food safety practices in restaurants by observing food handling practices, procedures and temperature control; the layout and structure of premises; and methods of cleaning. Management's role in providing food safety training for employees will also be assessed.
Environmental Health Specialist (Food Safety) in the Ministry of Health, Lana McQuilkin-Prescod, says that around 40 restaurants are participating in the voluntary programme, which is being conducted in collaboration with the Barbados Tourism Product Authority and the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association.
She says that the exercise should result in a standardised method of inspection for both licensing purposes and a greater consumer awareness of food hygiene and safety. The initiative also aims to reward businesses which demonstrate consistently high levels of food hygiene and to encourage other businesses to improve and maintain their standards.
Each restaurant participating in the programme will display their star certificate for public viewing.
11th June 2015