These are some of the things to look out for when choosing somewhere to eat out or buy a takeaway. 

          Danger signs 

• coverage in the local press about food hygiene offences

• dirty public areas (if the areas you can see aren't managed well, imagine the state of the areas you can't see)

• dirty tables, crockery, cutlery and glassware

• staff with dirty hands or fingernails, dirty aprons or long hair that isn't tied back

• overflowing wastebins or bags of rubbish outside the premises (these could attract pests and flies)

• dirty toilets and handwashing areas

• raw foods displayed next to ready-to-eat foods or the same serving utensils used for both

• food on display that has passed its 'Use by' date

• hair, insects or other foreign objects in food

• Any of these things might indicate bad management and sloppy hygiene standards. And these can compromise the safety of food.
  
  Good signs 
  

• hot food is piping hot when served

• cold food is properly cold when served

• a fresh batch of food is brought out when a batch is finished (an old batch of food should never be topped up with a fresh one)

• self-service fridges are properly cold

• staff hygiene training certificates on the walls or food safety instructions in food preparation areas

• What to do if you think standards aren't up to scratch 

• complain to the owner of the premises

• report the business to your local environmental health service
  
  take your business elsewhere
  It's important to let your local environmental health service know if you have concerns about hygiene at any food outlet, because this could help prevent poor hygiene making other customers seriously ill.