Food and drink

Risk of food poisoning in Reading eateries

June 10, 2011

More than half of Reading eateries checked by the council’s food safety team could be putting customers at risk of food poisoning, worrying new figures show.

The team found they were not cleaning equipment or surfaces properly.

The safety team visted 21 premises over the last year and tested things like chopping boards, knives, tongs, fridge handles and cloths.

And of the 66 samples taken, 36 were considered unsatisfactory.

Although surfaces looked clean, they can still be heavily contaminated with bacteria likely to cause food poisoning such as E.coli or Staphylococcus aureus.

Businesses with unsatisfactory samples were advised of their results and given advice how to improve.

Proprietors have now been told if they do not improve further enforcement action will be taken.

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Most recent user comments 13 of 13

They only visited in one year 21 out of the hundreds of food outlets in Reading! Don't overwork yourselves! The officers should be protecting the population of the town by naming and shaming them and if they don't buck their ideas up in say 30days close them down. A pathetic response especially in light of the E-coli outbreak in Germany.

PCWatch, Reading
10/06/2011 at 23:45

"Try http://www.scoresonthedoors.org.uk/" IB Fudger

The chicken burger generation will be sorely disappointed!

Spiddly
10/06/2011 at 14:05

Oooh looks like we might find out?

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/food_safety_team_inspection_resu

Spanky
10/06/2011 at 13:37

So in the mean time let people of Reading get Food Poisoned.

zak attack
10/06/2011 at 13:26

Crikey, quite a few of the Riverside eateries down at the bottom of the listings on that site! I wasn't expecting that.

Daniel in Reading
10/06/2011 at 12:34

Not rocket science. Shabby llooing shops generally have shabby kitchens. Servers with filthy aprons, no hats/hairnets. Servers handling food, then taking money (full of germs) , giving change and then back to handling food !!! No gloves worn. Lots of food debris on the floor, no cleaning regime. Profit comes before cleaniness in these mostly downmarket establishments. Suspect the budget for EHO visits has been cut even more in these austere times, though.

Sir Kit Togo
10/06/2011 at 12:00

There eateries should definitly named and shamed!! I don't understand how basic food and hygiene practice isn't top priority - especially those that are the one off family run business. If I owned any kind of restaurant I would more than want the 5* food hygiene rating.

BTW I always check scores on the doors before I eat anywhere!

LittleMissGrumps, Reading
10/06/2011 at 11:39

Named and shamed? :)

Betty Blue, Reading
10/06/2011 at 11:25

Try http://www.scoresonthedoors.org.uk/

Search by council, then select RBC, and sort by lowest to highest. That'll give you a pretty reasonable breakdown.

Unfortunately it doesn't show exactly why an eaterie got 0 or 1 out of 5 (perhaps thankfully), but words such as poor and very poor etc should help everyone make an informed choice :o)

IB Fudger
10/06/2011 at 11:24

If you go to places like Los Angeles the restaurants have a grade on the windows, A, B etc They take into consideration everything, to plugs in the kitchen, to sanitation of the food. It does not grade the taste, flavour or looks of the food. If you are eating out, ask the maitre d' if you can visit the kitchen before dining. Those with nothing to hide, shouldn't object, unless it is at peak trading.