This restaurant inspection disclosure stuff is catching on around the world – from New York City to Sydney to the southeast Asian country of Brunei.

And there’s no grade inflation going on in Brunei.

Brunei fm reports that in a bid to ensure that clean and quality food are served to the general public, the Municipal Department has introduced a grading system for food premises, which takes into account the cleanliness of the restaurant and its services.

Yesterday morning, the Kuala Belait and Seria Municipal Department presented certificates to eight eateries in the district who were awarded grade ‘C’.

Fifteen eateries operating within the Municipal area in the Belait District were chosen to undergo the grading process and four restaurants that were graded ‘B’ received their certificates from the Minister of Home Affairs in Bandar Seri Begawan on January 14 this year.

The three remaining restaurants and eateries were not eligible to receive any grades after the evaluation by the panel members.

The programme motivates or encourages food operators to maintain the cleanliness of their premises and also the hygiene of their staff when handling and serving food to customers.

A Munincipal officer also emphasised that in the event that a credible public complaint is received on the level of cleanliness and food safety of the restaurant, which has already been graded, the certificate would be revoked and the affected restaurant will be under close scrutiny for six months before it is allowed to make any application for renewal of grades.