NEW YORK, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Many of New York's 24,000 restaurants are getting high marks for hygiene under a new inspection system, city health officials say.
After completing a new two-step process for sanitary inspections, 80 percent of some 250 restaurants received A or B grades.
Forty-eight percent of the restaurants earned A's for their sanitary conditions and food safety practices; 31 percent achieved B's; 12 percent received C grades and 8 percent were closed until they could correct direct health hazards. The grades are posted in the restaurants' windows.
"These findings show that restaurants are taking their inspections seriously and that those who make a concerted effort can achieve our highest grade," Dr. Thomas Farley, New York health commissioner, says in a statement. "As more and more restaurant operators improve their practices, we anticipate fewer cases of foodborne illness. Overall, we consider these initial numbers very encouraging."
Under the new system, any restaurant that falls short of an A gets a repeat visit within two to three weeks, enabling the restaurant to improve food safety practices.
Health officials say it will take about 14 months to complete a full graded inspection cycle for all of the city's restaurants.
