NEARLY a third of food-handling premises in the Buffalo City Metro (BCM) do not comply with basic health standards.
This was contained in an official municipal report, which found 31% did not comply. These kitchens formed part of the 40% or fewer premises inspectors visited in the April to June period under scrutiny.
The incorporation of areas of the old Amathole Municipal District into the new BCM has added a stack of stoves, floors, fridges, and chopping surfaces to inspect, but there has also been a sudden and inexplicable explosion of eateries in BCM, says the metro’s acting director of health and public safety, Steve Terwin.
Terwin said the results of the April to June visits were only a sample of that period.
Some 23 health inspectors visited 849 food-handling premises, and found 265 (31.2%) did not comply with public health laws and regulations.
Simple maths shows there are at least another 1981 kitchens out there preparing and serving food to the public, giving a potential, and underestimated total of 2830 kitchens, meaning at least 877 hell’s kitchens are being fired up in BCM every day.
The inspectors found 58 out of 152 supermarkets inspected (38%) were issued with non-compliance notices, while a startling 44% did not comply, although some problems were too minor to warrant a notice.
BCM inspected 120 restaurants of which 13 were handed notices for “(un)cleanliness of kitchens, equipment and change-rooms (and) incorrect storage of foodstuff in coldrooms and freezers”.
Of great concern was the finding a quarter (21) of 81 butcheries had “dirty preparation areas and equipment”.
The dirtiest kitchens were in spaza shops, of which only 7.8% (nine out of 115 visited) met with official approval. Their problems were listed as a lack of facilities, poor handling of food and “town planning issues”.
However, cafes, takeaways and fruit and veg outlets also fared badly with 60 out of 213 (28%) being ticked off.
Border-Kei Chamber of Commerce director Les Holbrook said: “No question about it, businesses in food preparation and supply need to have exceptionally good health and cleaning standards.” — mikel@dispatch.co.za
Third of food handling businesses don’t comply
This was contained in an official municipal report, which found 31% did not comply. These kitchens formed part of the 40% or fewer premises inspectors visited in the April to June period under scrutiny.
The incorporation of areas of the old Amathole Municipal District into the new BCM has added a stack of stoves, floors, fridges, and chopping surfaces to inspect, but there has also been a sudden and inexplicable explosion of eateries in BCM, says the metro’s acting director of health and public safety, Steve Terwin.
Terwin said the results of the April to June visits were only a sample of that period.
Some 23 health inspectors visited 849 food-handling premises, and found 265 (31.2%) did not comply with public health laws and regulations.
Simple maths shows there are at least another 1981 kitchens out there preparing and serving food to the public, giving a potential, and underestimated total of 2830 kitchens, meaning at least 877 hell’s kitchens are being fired up in BCM every day.
The inspectors found 58 out of 152 supermarkets inspected (38%) were issued with non-compliance notices, while a startling 44% did not comply, although some problems were too minor to warrant a notice.
BCM inspected 120 restaurants of which 13 were handed notices for “(un)cleanliness of kitchens, equipment and change-rooms (and) incorrect storage of foodstuff in coldrooms and freezers”.
Of great concern was the finding a quarter (21) of 81 butcheries had “dirty preparation areas and equipment”.
The dirtiest kitchens were in spaza shops, of which only 7.8% (nine out of 115 visited) met with official approval. Their problems were listed as a lack of facilities, poor handling of food and “town planning issues”.
However, cafes, takeaways and fruit and veg outlets also fared badly with 60 out of 213 (28%) being ticked off.
Border-Kei Chamber of Commerce director Les Holbrook said: “No question about it, businesses in food preparation and supply need to have exceptionally good health and cleaning standards.” — mikel@dispatch.co.za
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos