The Reliable Food App: A Tool for Citizens, a Responsibility for the State

When we enter a restaurant, we do not see inside the kitchen. We generally do not know under what conditions a supermarket product was made or stored, or when it was last inspected. For many years, confidence in food amounted to a judgment based on a label and the appearance of a business.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s Reliable Food Mobile App changes this to some extent. It is now possible to scan a business’s QR code for its latest inspection information and report a problem with a photograph. This is an important step toward transparency. But for an app to work, citizens need to know what to look for and when to make a report.

A QR code at the entrance does not, by itself, mean the kitchen is clean. What matters is that the information behind it is current, understandable, and verifiable. A customer seeing the last inspection date should also understand what was checked and the outcome. “Inspected” and “no problems found during inspection” do not mean the same thing.

Businesses should not treat the app as just another compulsory notice to put on the wall. For a trader who follows the rules and trusts their kitchen, the system is an advantage: protection against unfair competition and reassurance for customers.

The burden of inspection cannot be left to customers

It is valuable that people can easily report spoiled products, improper storage, or obvious hygiene problems. But responsibility for public inspection cannot be transferred to customers. Not every citizen is a food engineer; they cannot see the back of the kitchen, storeroom, or cold room. Regular, unannounced, risk-based inspections must remain an essential state duty. The app may provide citizens’ eyes, but inspection and enforcement must remain in public hands.

What I most want to know, therefore, is what happens after a report. How quickly is a photograph and report reviewed? Is the person told the outcome? Regular publication of the number of reports, how many led to inspections, and the sanctions imposed would significantly strengthen trust in the system.

Some small businesses make mistakes because they do not know the correct practice, rather than because they oppose the rules. Maintaining the cold chain, separating raw and cooked food, providing allergen information, and storage periods require continuing education. Short, practical training by trade associations and provincial directorates can produce more lasting results than penalties. Deliberate fraud and mistakes arising from lack of knowledge should naturally be assessed differently, but both put consumers at risk.

Avoiding swollen cans, checking use-by dates, and paying attention to food sold uncovered or in unsuitable conditions are small but important everyday steps. When encountering something suspicious, using official channels first rather than exposing a business on social media helps preserve evidence and secure a proper investigation.

Try scanning the QR code on your next restaurant visit. Whether you find the information meaningful will also tell us a great deal about the future of this app.