FSDA to rate city eateries on food quality, hygiene

LUCKNOW: Soon, choosing a good restaurant or bar will get easier as customers will be able to check the ratings of all food outlets in the city online. In a customer friendly move, the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) has decided to rate all the city restaurants, sweet shops, eateries, bars, hotels, canteens and catering services to help people get quality food.

The ratings would be A+, A and B and if any restaurant or eatery got C, it would be closed till it improved the quality of its products and services to at least B grade, said TR Rawat, designated officer, FSDA, Lucknow.

He said, “Food safety for city residents is mandatory. Soon, people would know about the standards of cleanliness and hygiene a restaurant is maintaining in its kitchen and other services.”

Rawat added, “The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed this sort of ratings in every state. Though, it’s not binding but we have decided to implement it in the state capital and soon it would be extended across the state.”

The FSSAI is keen on rating food businesses by taking several factors like hygiene awareness, safety processes etc, into account for the benefit of consumers.

The local restaurant association and other associations would be communicated regarding the rating process.

Rawat said the inspectors of the FSDA would visit every restaurant, eatery to check its sanitation, kitchen, eating space, waiters’ uniform, aprons, gloves used by the staff while cooking and serving. Besides, they would also check the tap water quality and hand washing space and soap for the customers.

The facilities like chairs, tables, table cloths and napkins would also be considered while rating an eatery, he added. “This step will induce a healthy competition between the restaurants of city as all would try to get the top grade, hence the customers will be benefited,” said Rawat.

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This step will induce a healthy competition between the restaurants of the city as all would try to get the top grade, hence the customers will be benefited.

TR RAWAT, designated officer, FSDA, Lucknow