Local authorities inspect food businesses and award a Food Hygiene Rating from 0 to 5.
This score reflects how safely food is handled, stored, prepared, and managed.
Higher ratings show strong hygiene standards, while lower ratings indicate that improvements are needed.
Poor food hygiene increases the risk of food poisoning, cross‑contamination, and illnesses such as salmonella, norovirus, and E. coli.
By checking a business’s hygiene rating before you buy food, you can significantly reduce your risk of food‑related illness and make informed choices about where to eat.
You can look up any local ratings by using the ELDC Food Hygiene Ratings search tool:
https://www.e-lindsey.gov.uk/article/5601/Food-Hygiene-Ratings
