Since 2008 the Food Hygiene Rating System has been used to rank all establishments that handle food on a scale of 0-5. All local environment health authorities use the same Food Hygiene Rating System assess food premises. In England it’s not mandatory to display your ranking, but in Wales and Northern Ireland, it is a legal requirement for businesses to display their food hygiene rating. One question we’re continually asked is, do you need a pest control contract in place to achieve a 5 Star Hygiene rating?
The answer is that all food premises need a thorough and fully-managed pest control system in place. Pests entering a restaurant or cafe are a potential source of food contamination and cause cause and spread diseases. So as part of any HACCP food hygiene plan it should show the steps to ensure pest control is being looked after. Any establishment without a pest control program in place will struggle to get higher than a 1 star hygiene rating.
Having a solid and professional pest control contract in place shows environmental health inspectors this is being looked after responsibly. Regular and thorough cleaning is vital and could form part of your opening and closing checks on your daily HACCP plan. Its is achievable to secure a 5 * hygiene rating if you can demonstrate you have a pest control program in place including fly and rat traps and why and where they are being deployed.