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Swedish restaurants taking the pizza over hygiene!

To most of the rest of the world, Sweden is squeaky clean. Food inspectors in the coastal town of Halmstad in Western Sweden, however, have blown that theory wide open, having disclosed that 61 of 70 pizzerias they inspected during the Spring, failed to meet hygiene regulations.

They have said they were horrified by the unacceptably low standards of hygiene at the vast majority of restaurants.

"We're quite shocked. We actually didn't think it would be this bad," food safety inspector Ulrika Cederberg told newpaper Hallands-Posten.

Inspectors ordered the immediate closure of one restaurant, which was infested with a type of beetle that lives on meat, cheese and dried fish. Another restaurant, in a similarly appalling state, was given a stay of execution when staff stayed up all night to rectify the many hygienic shortcomings detailed by the inspectors.

In some restaurants food was stored in the toilets, while facilities for washing hands were also in short supply.

Ulrika Cederberg added: "There were nineteen places that didn't have access to a functioning washbasin with soap and paper towels."

The authorities have already begun reinspecting the 61 premises that failed to make the grade and the cost of the second inspection is to be borne by the restaurants themselves.

9th July 2009