Environmental food hygiene and food safety

Worker exploitation in the gig economy: the case of dark kitchens

“…During an inspection, inspectors may find dirty surfaces, inadequate record keeping and poor food handling that can result in a rating of one. Based on a British Broadcasting Channel (BBC) report (Crawford and Benjamin, 2019), more than 400 takeaway outlets listed on Deliveroo and Just Eat in London, Manchester and Birmingham were awarded a hygiene rating of one from the Food Standards Agency (FSA). Similar cases have been reported in New York-based dark kitchens, for e.g.…”

“…after customers' complaints, the New York City (NYC) Health Department issued the Mikado Poke from Uber Eats, a “C” (low) rating amid “ evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food ,” and the presence of “ filth flies ,” (Fickenscher, 2020). The following story describes a food inspector's experience in the UK, during a dark-kitchen inspection listed on Deliveroo (Crawford and Benjamin, 2019):The kitchen was hot, smelly and crowded … One officer opened a cupboard to find pots and pans encrusted with filth, mouse droppings and what looked like the remains of a cockroach. Moving to the main zinc table where the food is prepared we ducked down underneath - I wish I hadn't.…”

“…Despite the frequent inspections by the relevant government agencies and authorities (i.e. the Food Hygiene Agency), health and safety and food hygiene standards are often neglected at the expense of the kitchen workers and customers (Crawford and Benjamin, 2019). Working in confined spaces with unsuitable ventilation and lighting under extreme conditions of heat and humidity can harm the kitchen workers (Guzder, 2019).…”