Environmental Health Officers at Manly Council are delighted by the positive response of local food outlets to an innovative food safety awareness program.
The program has resulted in a 73 per cent increase in knowledge by food service providers regarding important food safety laws and food standards codes, as well a 20 per cent increase in the number of food shops passing routine food safety inspections.
Businesses involved in the food safety awareness program include restaurants, cafés, bakeries, preschools and general food handlers.
Council launched its Food Safety Awareness Program and the ‘Manly Restaurants Complete Guide to Food Safety’ in April 2008.
It aims to inform, educate and reward food service businesses; provide training on food safety issues; and acknowledge businesses meeting food safety hygiene standards with stylish ‘Starfish Certificates’. These rate businesses’ food safety standard compliance on a scale from one to five.
“Council was overwhelmed with the response to its Food Safety Training Workshops, which had an attendance of more than 130 food handlers,” said Mayor of Manly, Councillor Jean Hay.
“All participants received a certificate of attendance, which they can display in their restaurants and businesses.
“The overall response from the community, food shop owners and handlers has been extremely positive.”
The ‘Manly Restaurants Complete Guide to Food Safety’ provides the basic tools used to inform food businesses on food safety, and is coupled with monthly food safety seminars.
Throughout the seminar period, ‘before’ and ‘after’ surveys were conducted to gauge increasing levels of understanding by food businesses and to test whether the seminars offered any benefits.
The areas in which food handlers required most information were food temperature control, cleaning and sanitising, cross contamination and food storage procedures.
The ‘after’ surveys concluded that all seminar attendees had learned new, relevant information at the course, the biggest improvement being an increase in knowledge of relevant legislation and the Food Standards Code.
Subsequently, Council officers have recorded a
20 per cent increase of food shops passing their routine inspections.
“That’s good news all round for food handlers and food consumers alike,” Councillor Hay said.
“Council looks forward to restarting the program in 2009, inviting all those food businesses who have not yet attended to come along for the free workshops.”
For further information, contact Manly Council Environmental Health Unit on (02) 9976 1594 or visit www.manly.nsw.gov.au/Food-Safety-Awareness-link.html
