MANY of Hull's takeaways need to make major hygiene improvements, health inspectors have warned.
Takeaways make up most of the dozens of businesses that inspectors have ruled need to make urgent or major improvements.
Officers from Hull City Council's environmental health team have found shards of glass in food, dirty cloths being used to clean kitchens and contaminated food during inspections at city takeaways.
Of 49 businesses that have been given a grade of zero – meaning urgent improvement is required – 19 are takeaways.
Dozens of others have been given a grade of one, requiring major improvement, under the Food Hygiene Ratings Scheme.
"Takeaways make up the majority of zero and one ratings that we give out," said Paul Turner, principal environmental health officer at the city council.
"When we give out those ratings, we offer a lot of advice and support and inspect the premises again quickly."
Bob Carver's fish and chip restaurant and takeaway in Chapel Street, city centre, was given a grade of one – meaning major improvements are necessary – after an inspection in September.
Mr Turner said changes have since been made and another inspection will be taking place at the restaurant soon.
Golden Bridge Takeaway in Hessle Road, west Hull, served a stir-fried beef with onions that contained a shard of glass from a broken sweet chilli bottle in May.
Latino's Takeaway in Southcoates Lane, east Hull, was shut down in May for several days after inspectors found no hot water supply at the premises.
Staff were also using dirty cloths to clean the kitchen.
Contaminated food was discovered at Four Seasons in Beverley Road, which was also shut down after inspectors judged there was an imminent risk to public health.
The city council began using the national Food Standards Agency's hygiene ratings scheme in January.
Previously, inspectors used the authority's own Scores on the Doors scheme, which published each business's score out of 100.
Under the national standard, businesses are instead given one of five ratings – with the scores unpublished.
Inspectors grade the businesses on its structure, practices and their confidence in management.
Mr Turner said: "It has definitely led to improvements in hygiene across the city. The majority of businesses now have good hygiene standards and the rest aspire to be getting there.
"It is driving things up.
"Using the same scheme as most local authorities across the country also makes it easier for the public.
"It is one website, with one consistent scoring system, so customers know how it works across the country.
"They don't have to know where local authority boundaries are and can just check the website for wherever it is they plan to eat to help them make an informed decision."
Visit www.food.gov.uk/ratings to view the ratings.
