A new online tool lets people in Brussels check how clean their local food shop really is.
Whether it is a bakery, a café, or a local butcher, Brussels residents can now look up the hygiene record of the food shop after the country's food safety watchdog (AFSCA) launched a brand new rating system called Food Hygiene Rating.
Every food business that serves customers directly is concerned. AFSCA has inspected over 5,000 shops across the country and made available a transparent system that lets consumers check the ratings by themselves.
Bakeries were among the first to draw attention, after only a handful in Brussels reached the highest grade of "excellent".
Speaking to The Brussels Times, Aline Van den Broeck, AFSCA spokesperson, said the system is meant to give people straight answers about where their food is being prepared.
"It covers all B2C [business to consumer] food businesses," she said. "Bakeries, butchers, fishmongers, supermarkets, restaurants. Anyone who handles food for consumers."
How the scoring works
Each business is graded from "excellent" to "to be improved". The score comes from the most recent unannounced inspection.
Inspectors check everything from the cleanliness of the kitchen to the state of the fridges, how staff handle raw ingredients, and whether the right temperatures are being respected. The full checklist is published online and used across the whole country.
"These are surprise inspections," the spokesperson said. "Owners know how often we visit, but never the date."
Bakeries are generally inspected once every four years, although high-risk shops like fishmongers see inspectors far more often.
Why only a few bakeries hit 'excellent'
Only three Brussels bakeries were marked as excellent in the latest results. According to AFSCA, the highest rating usually goes to businesses that have a validated self-monitoring system, meaning their hygiene procedures are checked by an external certifier.
These businesses are seen as lower-risk and get inspected less often.
The new tool replaces the old FoodWeb system, which was widely criticised for being confusing.
The updated version includes an interactive map, making it far easier to search by street, neighbourhood or postcode.
"This responds to a real demand for transparency," AFSCA said. "It helps consumers make informed choices and shows which businesses take hygiene seriously."
