Sunderland food hygiene ratings: New ratings for businesses in Houghton and Washington

Sunderland City Council food safety inspectors have assessed both Mama's Bar Grill Pizzeria in Houghton Road, Houghton, and Pizza Stagioni, a takeaway in 32 Swan Road, Washington, giving both establishments a four-star rating.

A four-star rating means that “hygiene standards are good” while reaching a full five-star rating means that inspectors have classified standards as “very good”.

During an inspection, officers look at areas such as hygienic food handling, cleanliness and condition of facilities and building, along with management of food safety.

In order to get a top rating of five, a business must do well in all elements of food hygiene standards and if this is not given, the officer will explain the actions needed to improve.

Following inspection on May 16, inspectors found Mama's Bar Grill Pizzeria to have “good hygienic food handling”, “generally satisfactory cleanliness and condition of facilities and building” and “good management of food safety”.

Also on May 16, inspectors ruled that Pizza Stagioni, in Washington, had both “good” hygiene food handling and cleanliness and condition of facilities and building and had “generally satisfactory” management of food safety.”

The inspections are ordered by the Food Standards Agency, an independent government department working to protect public health and consumers’ wider interests in relation to food.

Businesses are rated from 0-5, with zero meaning urgent improvement is required, one meaning major improvement is necessary, two meaning some improvement is necessary, three meaning hygiene standards are generally satisfactory, four meaning standards are good and five meaning standards are very good.