Food hygiene in City of Melville food premises has improved since the implementation of the Council’s Clean Slate program just over a year ago.
Health Promotion Officer Janet Armarego said the program was launched in April 2008 to give the City’s 414 local food premises –
including restaurants, cafes, takeaway outlets, school canteens and kitchen facilities – a rating to indicate their food hygiene level.
The ratings include excellent (five stars), very high standard (four stars) or high standard (three stars) to indicate the achievement of criteria such as hygiene, prevention of cross contamination, temperature control and food handling knowledge.
“Following routine food hygiene inspections by the City’s Environmental Health Officers, qualifying food premises are awarded a Clean Slate certificate displaying their star rating,” Janet Armarego said.
“While there is no requirement to provide this information to the community, the program raises public awareness of the health standards of local food premises and improves consumer confidence, while also encouraging and rewarding high standards of food hygiene throughout the City.”
Janet Armarego said when the program was launched, 127 or 42 per cent of the 300 eligible food premises were awarded a star rating.
As of April 2009, this number had increased to 227 premises, or 75 per cent.
“A monthly food hygiene and safety course held at the City of Melville offers food handlers regular opportunities to attend education sessions to qualify for the five star Clean Slate status,” Janet Armarego said.
She said the Clean Slate awards had received significant interest from other councils.
Before implementing its program, Melville reviewed other award programs in Europe and the USA, but these were found to be cumbersome to implement.
Information relating to the City of Melville program is included on the City’s website www.melvillecity.com.au including a list of participating premises and their ratings.
