6 May 2020
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
The Food Safety Company, Ireland’s leading food safety consultancy, today launched the ‘Hygiene Assured’ certification. The new certification scientifically validates hygiene standards in hotels, restaurants, cafés and other businesses across the hospitality and care industry.
The Hygiene Assured certification highlights the commitment by concerned and diligent businesses to achieve the highest standard of cleanliness and sanitation, which in turn will facilitate the reopening of businesses across Ireland.
Similar to arrangements being introduced across Europe to rebuild hospitality and tourism industries, the certification will provide reassurance for customers, staff and regulatory authorities. The certification will give business owners the confidence to safely trade during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, once current restrictions have been lifted.
Commenting on the launch, Mary Daly, Managing Director of the Food Safety Company said: “Businesses across the hospitality industry have been hugely impacted by the pandemic and with the hope of returning to a level of normality, the new certification will reassure customers that along with Government guidelines, extra measures have been undertaken to ensure that businesses are operating to the highest level of hygiene standard. Cleaning is a key control in the prevention of the virus and pathogenic bacteria and the Hygiene Assured certification will provide reassurance and alleviate customers fear and concerns during these difficult times.”
The Hygiene Assured certification involves a five-step process which is designed to ensure the exemplary standards of hygiene are in place in businesses across Ireland. The in-depth process involves a full review, hospital grade training, audit to ensure correct implementation of cleaning practices and micro-analysis testing provides scientific evidence that an area is infection free.
Pictured are, from left, Roisin Corrigan Food Safety Consultant, The Food Safety Company , Arder Christie, Head Chef at the Castleknock Hotel and Syed Rizvi, Hotel Manager who were on hand to announce that the Castleknock Hotel, have received the first ‘Hygiene Assured’ certification. The five step certification process, developed by the Food Safety Company, guarantees businesses are hygienically clean, free from pathogens and viruses through effective cleaning. The new certification will give hotels, restaurants, cafes and other businesses across the hospitality and care industry the confidence to safely reopen and trade during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Photo Fennell Photography
Pictured are Syed Rizvi, Hotel Manager Castleknock Hotel, and Head Chef, Arder Christie with Roisin Corrigan Food Safety Consultant, The Food Safety Company, who were on hand to announce that the Castleknock Hotel have received the first ‘Hygiene Assured’ certification. The five step certification process, developed by the Food Safety Company, guarantees businesses are hygienically clean, free from pathogens and viruses through effective cleaning.
Photo Fennell Photography
On achievement of a satisfactory result, a business will be certified and will display the Hygiene Assured mark. Regular re-auditing together with micro-testing will be required to ensure that standards are being maintained on an ongoing basis. The first ‘Hygiene Assured’ certification was awarded to the Castleknock Hotel in Dublin at the end of April.
Guy Thompson, General Manager of Castleknock Hotel added: “The Castleknock Hotel has engaged The Food Safety Company for many years to reassure us of that the highest standards of food safety are implemented. Now, we need to reassure our Customers and Staff that our Hotel is spotlessly clean and safe on an ongoing basis through regular audits, training and swab analysis. This will give us complete peace of mind as we welcome guests and staff once again.”
Mary Daly concluded: “The pandemic has highlighted the need for stringent hygiene controls in our society in order to reduce the infection, to prevent reinfection and to help us return to normal activities. The widespread business closures across the industry have had a devastating effect. We hope that by providing business owners with evidence to show that they are infection free, they in turn can provide peace of mind and reassurance to their own customers.”
Pictured are Syed Rizvi, Hotel Manager Castleknock Hotel, and Head Chef, Arder Christie with Roisin Corrigan Food Safety Consultant, The Food Safety Company, who were on hand to announce that the Castleknock Hotel have received the first ‘Hygiene Assured’ certification.
Photo Fennell Photography