South Ayrshire ranked Scotland's most hygienic place to eat

According to new research carried out by kitchen suppliers Maxima Kitchen Equipment, who analysed Food Hygiene Information Scheme (FHIS) ratings for more than 43,000 businesses across Scotland’s 32 local authorities, South Ayrshire ranked first place for the most hygienic region in the country.

Within the area, only 0.51 per cent of the 1,170 food businesses require improvement and 6.5 per cent gained a rating of “Pass and Eat Safe” - the highest percentage out of all the local authorities.

The second most hygienic region is Renfrewshire, with only 12 businesses out of 1,330 needing to improve their standards. Within the area, 99 per cent of food businesses passed the inspections and are compliant with Scottish food standards.

East Ayrshire follows closely in third with 1.41 per cent requiring improvement, which is 11 businesses out of 781. 

The study covered anywhere people can eat out or shop for food, including restaurants, pubs, cafes, takeaways and supermarkets.

A spokesperson for Maxima Kitchen Equipment said: “In Scotland there are around 43,000 cases of foodborne illnesses annually, therefore finding reputable food establishments is crucial to the public.

"The majority of food businesses in Scotland do pass the minimum requirements, however there is always room for improvement to ensure safe food preparation and handling”. 

Aberdeen City was found to be the least hygienic local authority for food in Scotland, with Highland coming in second and Edinburgh ranking third, with 13.6 per cent of food businesses requiring improvement in their hygiene and food preparation.