Suwon-si, Three-Level Hygiene Rating Management for Food Businesses

Suwon City Hall

The city of Suwon in Gyeonggi Province will evaluate the 'hygiene management grade' of food manufacturing and processing businesses as well as food additive manufacturing businesses, and manage their access, inspections, and sample collections differently based on the results.

Suwon City will assess 105 food manufacturing and processing businesses by November, based on 120 items across three categories: basic investigation, basic management evaluation, and excellent management evaluation.

The evaluation items include the person responsible for hygiene management, compliance with food hygiene laws, and hygiene management according to quality control methods. The total score is 200 points.

The city classifies businesses based on their scores as follows: those scoring 151-200 points as 'Self-Managed Businesses,' those scoring 90-150 points as 'General Management Businesses,' and those scoring 0-89 points as 'Focused Management Businesses,' and manages them accordingly.

Self-Managed Businesses are exempt from access and inspections for two years unless there are special reasons, and are given priority support for loan projects to improve hygiene facilities.

General Management Businesses are subject to access and inspections when hygiene management is necessary, while Focused Management Businesses receive intensive guidance and management at least once a year.

A city official emphasized, "We will evaluate the hygiene and quality management capabilities of food manufacturing and processing businesses and food additive manufacturing businesses, and manage access, inspections, and sample collections differently to manage food hygiene more efficiently. We aim to enable food manufacturing and processing businesses to autonomously improve their hygiene standards."