For the first time in the country, the Maharashtra chapter of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched a pilot rating system for restaurants. The move was initiated to mark the occasion of World Food Safety Day on Thursday.

While introducing the system resembling a western rating fad known as ‘Scores on the Doors’, FDA officials said that eateries can now be rated on a scale of zero to five with five being the highest and zero being the lowest. The ratings can take into account factors such as hygiene and customer safety among others, reported The Times of India. The scheme will first be implemented in Mumbai, Nagpur, and Pune before making headway into other cities.

FDA commissioner Pallavi Darade told the national daily, “The food hygiene rating given will reflect our inspection findings. The purpose of this scheme is to allow consumers to make informed choices about the places where they eat out. The aim is to reduce the incidence of food-borne illnesses and associated costs to the economy,” adding, “Our inspectors will then go and inspect the restaurants on the parameters such as cleanliness, design and facilities, availability of water and soap, etc.”

The process for restaurants to secure hygiene stars will begin with the eateries filing an online self-assessment. The self-assessment response will then be examined by the FDA and sent to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India for final approval. FDA officials will also inspect the eatery premises and score the establishments on the basis of how well they are being run.

According to reports, while a rating of zero stars will speak for itself, the second rating will be the ‘responsible place to eat’ which can be earned by cleanliness, periodic health checks and donation of surplus food. Meanwhile, 20 other parameters will also be taken into consideration by the FDA at the time of allotting stars. Other factors that will be considered are advice given to customers regarding a balanced diet, ensuring that beverages are made in potable water and the access to customers to visit the kitchen.

As part of the pilot, FDA has already graded a total of some 30 restaurants collectively in Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur. Ratings for all such restaurants will be awarded at a public function in Mumbai’s Bandra area on Thursday marking the occasion of World Food Safety Day.

Source:-http://www.timesnownews.com/mirror-now/in-focus/article/world-food-safety-day-fda-rating-system-restaurants/237214