One in four cafés break hygiene laws

One in four cafes, snack bars and restaurants in tourist areas is breaking hygiene rules or serving food unfit for consumption, the Agriculture Ministry has announced.

Health inspectors visiting some 9,400 food establishments have seized more than 30 tonnes of food deemed unfit for human consumption, according to the assistant director of the food authority Direction Générale de l'Alimentation Monique Eloit.

She told Le Parisien that while the number of restaurants issued with warnings was the same as last year, the amount of food seized had doubled.

While inspectors shut 37 restaurants for poor standards, the majority of breaches were minor according to Ms Eloit, and did not threaten public hygiene.

Among the faults found included dirty utensils and clothes, out of date food stored in fridges and poor observation of hygiene among staff.

Inspections would continue until the beginning of September she said.

Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Michel Barnier said they would target fast food and pizza restaurants and street vendors.