HOBSONS Bay City Council last week announced the five winners of the 2006 Food Safety Awards program.
At a public meeting last week mayor Leigh Hardinge congratulated the Gold Award winners for their commitment to safe food handling practices.
However, only eight per cent of all food businesses in the area satisfied the selection criteria for the award.
For the first time, the awards system automatically included all 750 food businesses open to the general public. But only 65 qualified.
The five best businesses were judged to be the top performers in their respective categories of restaurant, industry group, speciality retail, school canteen and cafe or takeaway outlet. Each scored 100 per cent.
Council food hygiene experts audited the businesses for 12 months and tested food samples, temperature levels and checked extensive paperwork.
The Gold Award winners are:
Best Restaurant:
Anchorage Restaurant, The Strand, Williamstown
Best Industry Group:
Australian Commercial Catering, Grieve Parade, Altona North
Best Speciality Retail:
Central Square Deli, Central Ave, Altona Meadows
Best School Canteen:
St Mary’s Primary School, Railway St, Altona
Best Cafe/Takeaway:
Wok Rite Noodle and Snack Bar, Ferguson St, Williamstown
Each category winner will receive free 2007 Food Act registration, a framed certificate, prominent advertising and a window sticker.
Council’s public health co-ordinator, Malcolm Ramsay, said there is “always the odd business not yet complying” but he assured consumers that most premises practised safely, although they may have not satisfied all the criteria.
“Some exceptionally good premises refuse to fill out the paperwork, and they just don’t get recognised,” Mr Ramsay said.
Mr Ramsay said the criteria are set high to identify the high achievers among the premises that offer food safely.
Some reasons for not satisfying the criteria include changing ownership of a business during 2006, not maintaining food safety program records and having one or more non-complying food samples.
