New food hygiene rating scheme to replace letter grades in late 2020
Gold, silver and bronze awards to replace current A to D ratings for hygiene standards in food establishments from late 2020
Food hygiene grades will no longer be an alphabet soup from late 2020.
The National Environment Agency (NEA) announced yesterday that it will be replacing the current grading system with a new scheme that aims to recognise food establishments that have maintained consistently high hygiene standards.
Instead of giving an A to D grading annually based on "snapshot" assessments, the agency will give out new awards based on track record.
Establishments that maintain a clean record without any "major hygiene lapses" for at least two, five and 10 years will get a bronze, silver and gold award respectively. Award holders will receive decals to be displayed.
This will be based on past inspection records when the new scheme comes into full effect in 2020, giving existing licensees time to get up to speed.
The new scheme will be based on NEA's existing demerit point system, and operators need to ensure they do not commit offences carrying four points or more, such as failing to keep premises and equipment clean, pest infestations or handling food with bare hands.
This is the first time in more than 20 years that the grading system has been revamped.
NEA director-general of public health Derek Ho said the current system, introduced in 1997, has reached its limits.
According to NEA, 99 per cent of the some 36,000 licensees here were graded either A or B at the end of last year, with more than half scoring an A.
"It is more difficult for consumers... to distinguish between the better performers from this pool," Mr Ho told reporters yesterday.
"With this new (scheme), we hope to give recognition to those premises that have maintained a good track record in their daily operations."
NEA said in a press release that the awards may be downgraded if the operators are found to have committed serious hygiene infringements or are implicated in a food poisoning incident.
Food retail operators who fail to meet the criteria will not be given any award decals, while newly established operators will be given a separate white decal, valid for two years, indicating the establishment is still building up its credentials.
Once the new scheme is implemented in 2020, the current letter-based decals will cease to be valid.
To help with the transition, food businesses currently graded A can apply for the new awards from April 1, next year.
NEA will also be holding briefing sessions from next week to explain the details of the new scheme to its licensees.
Food operators contacted by The New Paper welcomed the new approach.
"The industry should see this as a step forward in the areas of food hygiene and standards," said Restaurant Association of Singapore's executive director, Mr Edwin Fong.
"Many travellers come to Singapore to sample our food. The new scheme will not only enhance our food hygiene standards but also uplift Singapore's standing at the international level."
Kheng Keow Coffee Merchants Restaurant and Bar Owners Association president Kenneth Lee said the current system may not tell the full story as inspectors could have assessed the food vendors on a good day.
The new scheme will keep everyone on their toes and "allows us to be transparent to customers about our hygiene standards".
Mr Sheik Abdul Hannan, 30, who runs a briyani stall in the Geylang Serai Market and Food Centre said the new scheme will spur him to put more effort into maintaining hygiene every day and give customers confidence to try his food.
"The first reason people will go to your shop is for the cleanliness. Then comes the quality," he said.
"If you see that a shop's cleanliness is good, the hygiene is good, and the food is also good, that will make its customer (base) grow."
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