All Oiva evaluation guidelines for approved food establishments.
0.1 General Evaluation Criteria for Grading in the Oiva Evaluation Scale
Guide/version: 2111/04.02.00.01/2021/5, valid from 2.1.2023
The common criteria for the Oiva evaluation scale are presented in this guideline which together with the substance-based Oiva evaluation guidelines comprise the overall set of Oiva evaluation guidelines.
To be taken into consideration:
- This guideline presents general descriptions of the Oiva evaluation scale, in which the risk-based aspects have been taken into account. The risk-based approach is discussed in more detail in the Oiva evaluation guidelines pertaining to specific substance areas.
- Oiva grades apply to approved food establishments or registered food premises.
- The general descriptions of the grades in the evaluation scale pertain to all evaluation guidelines of control results and all areas subject to control.
- The guidelines are all based on the statutes of the Food Act with which Finnish Food Authority interpretation guidelines can be utilised.
- The Oiva evaluation guidelines, which are published separately, provide more precise and particular guidelines for the application of the evaluation scale.
Operations comply with requirements.
The inspector concludes that the inspected areas comply with the requirements of the legislation.
The inspector is satisfied that the operator is capable of dealing with sudden and random shortcomings and rectifying them through the in-house control system.
There are small issues with the operations which do not impair food safety or mislead consumers.
The inspector concludes that the inspected areas mainly comply with the requirements of the legislation.
The inspector is not satisfied that the operator has not fully capable of dealing with the correction and prevention of minor shortcomings in their own-check system.
The inspector issues a written notice to the operator for any minor shortcomings found. No time limit is set for the correction of the shortcomings.
There are issues with the operations which impair food safety or mislead consumers. These issues must be rectified within a set period of time.
The inspector concludes that certain areas covered by the inspection have not been implemented in compliance with the requirements of the legislation.
The grade “To be corrected” can also be given even if the issues do not immediately impair food safety or mislead the consumer. In such a case, the operator has been repeatedly given the grade “Good”, but the previously observed shortcomings have not been rectified by the next planned inspection visit. There is a mention of this in the evaluation guideline if the procedure in question is applicable to the assessment guideline concerned.
The inspector gives the operator a written request for corrective action with a specified deadline, stating which findings made in the inspection impair food safety or mislead the consumer and/or indicates which inspected areas have not been implemented in compliance with the requirements of the legislation.
The inspector may use personal discretion when assessing whether a request for corrective action is sufficient to have the non-compliance rectified or whether it is necessary to use administrative coercive measures referred to in the Food Act, such as an order.
There are issues with the operations which jeopardise food safety or considerably mislead consumers, or the operator has failed to comply with orders that have been issued. These issues must be rectified with immediate effect.
The inspector concludes that certain areas covered by the inspection have not been implemented in compliance with the requirements of the legislation.
The inspector gives the operator a written justification forstating which findings jeopardise food safety or considerably mislead the consumer and/or indicates which inspected areas have not been implemented in compliance with the requirements of the legislation.
Legislation and guidelines (with any amendments) pertaining to the subject:
- Food Act 297/2021
- Finnish Food Authority regulation on system for publishing food control report information (12/2021)
- Finnish Food Authority guideline “Oiva system for publishing food control report information” 1708/04.02.00.01/2022
- Finnish Food Authority guideline on the use of administrative coercive measures in food control under the Food Act 3761/04.02.00.01/2020/3.
Updates in version 5
- Evaluation scale
- The section “Legislation and guidelines (with any amendments) pertaining to the subject” was added.