Fighting for fair food inspection reporting in Quebec
(Jul. 18/11) Following a recommendation by Quebec’s Auditor-General Renaud Lachance for more transparency on food inspection reports in restaurants, a MAPAQ task force is considering Toronto’s red-yellow-green system. CRFA has insisted the task force consult with us on this issue. We will also sit on the final committee meeting in September to discuss the results of the consultations.
Issues with Toronto’s reporting system
Toronto’s food inspection reporting uses a red-yellow-green system, as follows:
- green – restaurant has passed its food safety inspection
- red – restaurant has failed its food safety inspection; in some cases restaurant should be closed
- yellow – restaurant needs to make some corrections
The issue lies with the yellow grade – it can deter customers who assume that food is not prepared according to food safety standards. In reality, the yellow grade could be the result of faulty washrooms or something else unrelated to food safety.
Quebec’s current food inspection system calls for mandatory food safety training of restaurant employees. CRFA will represent the industry’s interests and push for a fair reporting system.