THERE are new names on the list of Worcester food businesses that have received a five star food hygiene ratings from health inspectors.

Ratings are judged by Food Standards Agency (FSA) inspectors over the standards in the handling of food, how food is stored, how food is prepared, cleanliness of facilities and pest control, how food safety is managed and evidence staff know about food safety.

New five-star Worcester businesses to make the list, and the date they were inspected, are:

Alfrick And Lulsley Community Shop, Clay Green Alfrick, Worcester (April 22).

The Apple Tea Rooms, Pitlands Farm, Clifton On Teme, Worcester (April 23).

A number of businesses across the area already have the highest rating from their inspections in recent years, with a full list on the FSA website food.gov.uk.

Meanwhile there is more good news as there are no new names on the list of one star food rated businesses.

The one star rating is the next to lowest on the zero to five scale used by the FSA, and means that “major improvement is necessary.”

This means the list of one star-rated places remains: Elgar Inn, Worcester Road, Age UK Worcester And District Lunch Club, Bilford Court, Fortune House, St John’s, Watan Supermarket in Cole Hill and Groszek in Lowesmoor.

Happy Taste, in Orchard Street, currently has a one star food rating, but has been recently inspected, with a new rating “to be published” according to the FSA.

All information published is based on results on the FSA website and is correct as of April 29, 2021, with inspections listed as the latest carried out.

A FSA spokesman said: “Ratings are a snapshot of the standards of food hygiene found at the time of inspection. It is the responsibility of the business to comply with food hygiene law at all times.”

If managers disagree with a rating, or believe their business has been upgraded since receiving the one-star rating listed on the FSA website, they should contact the FSA directly.