Food standards report is misleading - OIC official
(From The Orcadian dated July 26, 2001)

As reported on The Orcadian website last Friday afternoon, more than 50 catering premises in Orkney failed a food hygiene inspection last year, according to a report published last week. However, the figures released by the Food Standards Agency Scotland have been described as being misleading, by Mr Tony Marsh from the OIC environmental health department.

Of the 251 establishments inspected, 51 - one fifth - infringed food hygiene rules, the report states.

However, Mr Marsh explained that of those 51, the majority involved informal letters sent out by the OIC.

He explained that an informal letter or a 'minded to' notice (which could be regarded as formal) showed up as one on the computer, and how the report had led to misleading information.

"At the moment there are no food premises subject to formal procedures. In general people are doing their utmost to comply," Mr Marsh said.

Of those 51 infringements - 28 - were at restaurants and other caterers.

Fourteen were retailers, seven were manufacturers and packers and two were distributors and transporters. Only primary producers and importers and exporters escaped with a clean bill of health.

Looking at restaurants and other caterers alone, the figures show that of Orkney's total of 152, 28 had some kind of problem. That compares favourably to around a third of restaurants and other catering establishments in Scotland on average.