NEW food hygiene ratings have been awarded to a dozen restaurants and takeaways in the city.

Dozens of restaurants, pubs, bars, nightclubs and food outlets in Brighton and Hove have had their inspection results listed on the Food Standards Agency’s website.

What do the numbers mean?

• Zero – Urgent improvement necessary. There are two outlets with this rating.

• One – Major improvements necessary. There are 31 outlets with this rating.

• Two – Improvements necessary. There are 20 outlets with this rating.

• Three – Generally Satisfactory. There are 122 outlets with this rating.

• Four – Good on assessment. There are 431 outlets with this rating.

• Five – Seen as very good. There are 1,885 outlets with this rating.

The following outlets received a rating of five:

• Noblesse Café, 94 Lewes Road, Brighton; rated on February 2

• Zaitoon,16 Duke Street, Brighton; rated on January 31

• Coppa Club at 12 - 15 Brighton Square, Brighton; rated on January 22

• Cibo, 105 Western Road, Brighton; rated on January 21

• Mikel Coffee Shop, 79 - 80 Western Road, Brighton; rated on January 21

• Malika, Unit 9, Boardwalk Level, Waterfront, Brighton Marina; rated on January 19

• Skara, Emerald at 23 Waterfront, Brighton Marina, Brighton; rated on January 19

• Taste Sussex, Unit 3b, Boardwalk Level, Waterfront, Brighton Marina; rated on January 19

• Adele's Actually, Intergen House, 65-67 Western Road, Hove; rated on January 18

• Dharma Coffee / Layloya Wine And Organics Ltd, 20 Western Road, Hove; rated on January 18

• Purezza, 86 - 87 Western Road, Hove; rated on January 18

• SHAAM, 101 Western Road, Brighton; rated on January 18

• Cafe Domenica, Plus X Innovation Hub, Lewes Road, Brighton; rated on January 17

• Joe & The Juice Brighton, 16 - 17 North Street, Brighton; rated on January 12

• Salt, 114 Lustrells Vale, Saltdean, Brighton; rated on November 19

• The Windmill Pub, 69 Upper North Street, Brighton; rated on January 29

• Earth And Stars, Public House, 46 Windsor Street, Brighton; rated on January 26

• St George PH (Wet Sales), 29 High Street, Portslade; rated on January 20

• Lewes Road Inn, 158 Lewes Road, Brighton; rated on January 17

• Balti Express at 72 Beaconsfield Road, Brighton; rated on January 18

The following outlets received a rating of four:

• Aramark, GB Met College at 1a Pelham Street, Brighton; rated on November 10

Businesses which are given low ratings of zero or one must make urgent or major improvements to hygiene standards.

The local authority food safety officer has several enforcement options available and gives advice and guidance to make sure these improvements are made.

The food safety officer will also tell the business how quickly these improvements must be made and this will depend on the type of issue that needs to be addressed.

If the officer finds a business’s hygiene standards are very poor and there is an imminent risk to public health, when food may be unsafe to eat, the officer must act to ensure consumers are protected.

This could result in stopping part of the business or closing it down until it is safe.