Get the top food hygiene rating (2024)

All businesses should be able to achieve a 5 rating.

This can happen by demonstrating excellent compliance with legal requirements for good hygiene when one of our food safety officers visits your food business premises.

The 4Cs of food hygiene

There are 4 main things to remember for good food hygiene:

  • cleaning
  • cooking
  • cross contamination
  • chilling

These are also known as the '4Cs of food hygiene'.

You can use the 4Cs to prevent the most common food safety problems.

Seeguidance on what each of the 4Cs means for your food business on the Food Standards Agency website.

Keep a documented safety management system

Make sure you have fully completed and updated your documented system. Only businesses with completed and up to date systems get a top rating.

Make sure you complete a diary every day to show you are carrying out opening and closing checks and recording any problems.If there are any gaps this may count against you.

You can usesafer food, better business (SFBB)as your documented food safety management system.SFBB gives you the most up to date information on how to make sure the food you serve in your business is safe.

Food industry guides

The Food Standards Agency has put together a list of food industry guides to help you achieve the top rating.

Get tailored support

Contact us and one of our food safety officers will provide advice based on your specific needs as a business.

Get the top food hygiene rating (2024)

FAQs

What is the top food hygiene rating? ›

5 is top of the scale, this means the hygiene standards are very good and fully comply with the law. 0 is at the bottom of the scale, this means urgent improvement is necessary.

How to get 5 * food hygiene? ›

Our top tips to improve your five-star hygiene rating
  1. Ensure staff adhere to good hygiene practices and are appropriately trained.
  2. Use safe food storage systems.
  3. Understand and implement the HACCP concept.
  4. Prevent cross-contamination across your kitchen or food preparation areas.
Mar 12, 2020

What causes a 1 star hygiene rating? ›

Scoring 1 in food hygiene shows that major and immediate changes are needed, as a business has scored 45 to 50 points. This usually means that there are consistent breaches of food hygiene rules and often a lack of training within the organisation.

What do you need for a 5 star food rating? ›

It's not just your kitchen and dining area that need to be clean and tidy in order to achieve a 5-star rating. You'll also need to become fastidious in your record-keeping. Be sure to keep comprehensive records to demonstrate your commitment to cleanliness, including: Toilet cleaning and inspection records.

Is 1 food hygiene rating bad? ›

A Food Hygiene Rating Score of 1

This is a very low rating. It means major improvement is needed. This improvement will normally involve changing the way kitchen staff manage food and carry out food preparation. A score of 45-50 points will warrant a rating of 1.

Is food hygiene rating 3 bad? ›

The rating scale

4 – hygiene standards are good. 3 – hygiene standards are generally satisfactory. 2 – some improvement is necessary. 1 – major improvement is necessary.

How bad is 0 hygiene rating? ›

0 – urgent improvement required.

What are low risk foods? ›

Low risk foods are foods that do not provide ideal conditions for bacteria to grow. They are typically foods that are high in acid or sugar, as well as salted foods, dry foods or canned and vacuum-packed foods. Some examples of low risk foods include: Dry goods - Crackers, biscuits, flour, plain breads and rolls.

Which foods are classed as high-risk? ›

Foods that are ready to eat, foods that don't need any further cooking, and foods that provide a place for bacteria to live, grow and thrive are described as high-risk foods. Examples of high-risk foods include: cooked meat and fish. gravy, stock, sauces and soup.

What is the highest rating for food? ›

A restaurant may earn up to three Michelin stars, but to do so is quite rare — only 137 restaurants currently enjoy that designation in the entire world, and only 2,817 restaurants in the world have Michelin status of any kind.

How many 5 star reviews do I need to get 5 stars? ›

To achieve a 5-star rating, you'll need to calculate the difference between your current rating and 5 stars. If your current rating is, for example, 4.2 stars, you'll need enough 5-star reviews to bridge that gap. On average, you might need around 20 to 30 more 5-star reviews to reach a perfect 5-star rating.

How do you increase your 5 star rating? ›

To increase your Google 5-star reviews, prioritize excellent customer service, regular engagement, and proactive review management. Exceed customer expectations to encourage positive reviews. Regularly ask satisfied customers to share their experiences on Google, providing direct links to your review page.

What is the best food hygiene? ›

4 basic steps for food safety
  • Clean: always wash your food, hands, counters, and cooking tools. Wash hands in warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds. ...
  • Separate (keep apart): keep raw foods to themselves. ...
  • Cook: foods need to get hot and stay hot. ...
  • Chill: put food in the fridge right away.
Oct 18, 2023

What is the highest hygiene standard? ›

1 Personal hygiene

You should always wash your hands thoroughly before, during, and after handling food, using soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. You should also wear clean and appropriate clothing, hairnets, gloves, and aprons, and avoid wearing jewelry, nail polish, or perfume.

Who has the highest food standards? ›

Finland

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