CMC on kitchen cleaning spree

The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has set new quality standards for hotels and restaurants under its purview. CMC Chief Medical Officer Pradeep Kariyawasam said Five Star Hotels to small outlets in Pettah had been advised to abide by the rules or face severe penalties. According to him, the CMC has initiated legal action against 212 hotels and restaurants which had served unhygienic food. Food and water samples obtained from another 222 is under the microscope, Kariyawasam said. The new quality standards include a grading system which categorize hotels and restaurants into two groups depending on the conditions of food and water as well as workers’ health and physical appearance of the kitchen. The CMC has also made compulsory the obtaining of a quality assurance certificate prior to opening any new outlet. They have also initiated a comprehensive training for food handlers. According to Dr Kariyawasam the CMC is working on a more advanced three tier grading system for all hotels and restaurants and could replace the existing one shortly. Dr Kariyawasam said though the exterior of certain famous hotels and restaurants in Colombo appear to be clean, the kitchens are not.   Read More : www.dailynews.lk/2010/08/30/news02.asp