Where can I read about the food safety ratings in restaurants in China?

1/11/2014 5:43:21 AM

China Daily ran a piece about this that I found when I searched “food safety” + “smiley face” (食品安全 + 笑脸) announcing the launch of this system in 2011 in Tianjin. When I came to Shanghai in 2009, not many restaurants had these, and Shanghai was a 1st tier city by then. I guess this system spread to 2nd tier cities by 2011, thus this article. The article explains the faces much the way Mark described them above.

The report states that these faces/ratings are in accordance with a document called the Catering Service Food Safety Supervision and Quantitative Classification Management Guide《餐饮服务食品安全监督量化分级管理指南》

The article paraphrases the document by detailing what is assessed (while not exactly saying how, which is unsurprising for state media here):

据了解，持有《餐饮服务许可证》的餐饮服务单位，包括餐馆、快餐店、小吃店、饮品店、食堂、集体用餐配送单位和中央厨房都将纳入分级管理。餐饮服务食品安全量化分级评定事项具体包括许可管理、人员管理、场所环境、设施设备、食品原料及食品、加工操作、餐饮具清洗消毒、食品添加剂、集体用餐配送单位和中央厨房的食品运输、食品留样等内容。餐饮服务食品安全监督量化等级分为动态等级和年度等级。动态等级是监管部门对餐饮服务单位每一次监督检查结果的评价。年度等级是监管部门对餐饮服务单位过去12个月内监督检查结果的综合评价。年度等级分为A级、B级、C级，动态等级分为优秀、良好、一般。未达到一般级别的，责令限期整改；整改不合格的，依法吊销《餐饮服务许可证》。

Rough translation: To hold a license to serve food (hotel, canteen, restaurant, etc…), the vendor must allow state food safety assessors to assess the following areas:

  • Their current license to serve food
  • Their personnel management records
  • The overall shop environment
  • The facilities and equipment
  • The food ingredients and food served
  • The food preparation operations
  • Tableware disinfection
  • Any food additives
  • How food is served (kitchen -> table)
  • How food is transported to the kitchen
  • Taste and quality of food served (they must sample the menu)

These checks are done “dynamically” (pop-ins) and annually (scheduled). If the score is “A” (smiley face) or “B” (flat face) they can keep their license. A’s will have a follow-up in a year, B’s will be subject to more dynamic follow-ups (I guess). C’s will be re-reviewed after being given a chance to come up to code.

1/8/2014 12:02:25 AM

According to an international food safety blog about the issue, they mean:

  • a green smiley face means a restaurant has exceeded inspection requirements
  • A yellow face means the restaurant passed the inspection
  • a red ‘frowny’ face means it failed.

Of course, this does not tell you how stringent these requirements are. At least it means it’s not ‘x number of complaints’ as you suggested – it’s actually getting inspected by the government, so is at least an official standards-based recognition.

Credit:stackoverflow.com‘

About me

Hello,My name is Aparna Patel,I’m a Travel Blogger and Photographer who travel the world full-time with my hubby.I like to share my travel experience.

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