How to read a verification result — and what a passed check doesn't tell you

One precise question

A green check on FTA answers one precise question. Knowing exactly which question keeps you from reading too much — or too little — into it.

When you open a record on FTA and run the verifier, you get a result: the check passes, or it doesn't. It's tempting to read a passed check as a general stamp of approval — "this restaurant is good," "this food is safe." It isn't that, and it was never meant to be. A passed check answers one narrow, specific question, and its usefulness comes from how narrow it is.

What a passed check actually confirms

Two things, and only two. First — when you run the check on FTA's own site — that the record was genuinely signed by FTA, not pasted in by someone else. (A convincing copy of FTA's site could run its own check with its own key and show a fake "pass," so the ordinary rule still applies: make sure you're actually on foodtransparencyapp.com.) Second, that the record is identical to the one that was published; it hasn't been edited, trimmed, or quietly "corrected" since. That's the whole claim. It's a claim about integrity — the record is authentic and unchanged — not about quality, safety, or truth.

Why that narrowness is the point

Most online information about restaurants fails at exactly this level. You can't tell whether a figure was edited after the fact, or whether a page is the real one. A passed verification result closes that gap: whatever the record says, you know you're reading the real, unaltered version. You can then judge the content on its merits, without also having to wonder whether someone tampered with it first.

What a passed check does not tell you

A passed check has clear limits worth keeping in mind:

• It does not mean the record is correct. If the wrong information was entered to begin with, verification faithfully confirms that the wrong information is unchanged. Integrity isn't accuracy.
• It does not mean the restaurant is safe or approved. FTA doesn't inspect kitchens, test food, or certify anyone. A passed check is not an endorsement.
• It does not mean the record is current. It confirms what was published and when. A record can be authentic, unaltered, and also out of date — always check the date.

What a failed or missing check means

If a check doesn't pass, don't panic — it usually points to something ordinary, like a record that's still being processed or a page that isn't a genuine FTA record. It's a prompt to look closer, not proof of wrongdoing. And if there's no verification available for something at all, treat it exactly as you'd treat any unverified claim online: with normal caution.

The takeaway

Verification is a tool with a sharp edge and clear limits. Used well, it removes one specific worry — "has this been tampered with?" — so you can spend your judgement on the things that actually need it. Used as a blanket seal of approval, it promises more than it can deliver. Read the check for what it is: proof the record is real and unchanged. For anything that affects your health, confirm directly with the restaurant as well. You can try a live check at /verify/1.