The number of restaurants in Yangon Region totals over 8,000, according to the health department at the Yangon City Development Committee.
The department’s interim chief Dr Than Than Lwin said: “We inspected over 7,900 restaurants last year. We will have to check around 8,200 this year.”
Food production firms also grew from 39,000 to 42,000, she added.
“We inspect how the food is produced and how meals are cooked. We grant them licences once they meet the standards.”
The restaurants are inspected annually and sometimes without a prior notice. The officials check the kitchens and food-processing environments.
The licence expires after a year and if the restaurant or producer fails to maintain the standards, their licences are terminated.
The restaurants and food producers have to follow 12 rules including the use of clean water in making foods, proper garbage disposal, clean workplace free from roaches, rats, flies and mosquitoes, using gloves in making or grabbing foods and having a decent distance between the toilets and kitchen.
Source: Eleven Myanmar
