MORE than 100 inspected Hillingdon businesses have received pitiful food hygiene ratings.

According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), 106 businesses in the borough selling or serving food to the public are in urgent or major need of improving food hygiene.

Four restaurants, three takeaways and a pub in Hayes were among 11 businesses to be given the lowest rating of zero stars over the past year.

Another 95 establishments fared only slightly better with one star.

Any business serving or selling food must be inspected by the FSA, and is awarded one of six ratings with the highest being five stars.

Those with zero are listed here:

Mobile caterer Blighty’s;

Coffee Box, a takeaway based at Hayes End Post Office, 1262 Uxbridge Road;

Fishmongers Southall Fish Market, 532-534 Uxbridge Road;

Butchers Usmania Halal Meat, 18 Botwell Lane;

Mama Africa Restaurant, 88 East Avenue; 

Indian restaurant Pink City 39-43 Coldharbour Lane;

Halal takeaway Shiraz, 128 Uxbridge Road;

Chinese takeaway Sun Sun, 4 Gloucester Parade, Bourne Avenue;

Indian tapas bar & restaurant The Yellow Chilli, The Crane, Watersplash Lane;

Uxbridge Supermarket, 227 High Street;

South Indian restaurant Sarasas, 630-634 Uxbridge Road.

Restaurant Sarasas was re-evaluated on September 15 in a bid to overturn its zero star rating, but the FSA decided to maintain it.

Arjun Mehra, 26, who owns Jigsaw Osteopathy in Hayes, said: “Me and my family eat at Sarasas restaurant quite a lot so it’s shocking to me they have a zero star rating because it always looks so clean.

“We’ve never got ill there and have always enjoyed it, that’s why we go back.

“After finding this out though I’d definitely think twice before going again.”

The rating system takes into account how hygienically food is handled at the business, the condition and structure of the building, and how the business manages and records what it does to make sure food is safe.

Despite low ratings, all sites can remain open and the food safety officer will only take action when a business’ food is considered ‘an imminent risk to health’.

The eateries are under no legal obligation to display their awarded hygiene rating.

Sarasas, Pink City, Shiraz, Sun Sun, The Yellow Chilli and Hayes Halal Meat, formerly Usmania, all refused to comment.

Check ratings at: http://ratings.food.gov.uk/default/en-GB