Awards serve up 16 years of food safety in Hamilton

Eighty-nine Hamilton food businesses will be presented with excellence awards during the 2010 Hamilton Food Safety Awards at Wintec’s The Atrium this afternoon.

It is the 16th year that Hamilton City Council has held the Food Safety Awards, which aim to recognise and reward businesses that maintain a standard of food safety excellence in their premises above that required by legislation.

In addition to the excellence awards, a second level of award, a merit, was introduced several years ago to recognise the achievement of a secondary level for food businesses that have maintained a high standard of food safety. This year 52 merit awards will be mailed out to local food premises.

Hamilton City Council environmental health manager Peter McGregor said that as well as providing customers with an indication of the standard of food safety they can expect at award-winning premises, the Food Safety Awards offer extra incentive for food businesses to improve their standard of hygiene and commitment to staff training in order to reach and maintain this level.

“Feedback from past recipients has told us that these awards have impacted positively on their businesses. This shows us that the Food Safety Award is recognised and valued by the public,” he said.

Hamilton uses the Food Safety Award system instead of the grading system used by many other councils throughout the country – with an excellence award equivalent to an ‘A grading’ and a merit award equivalent to a ‘B grading’.

All merit and excellence recipients receive a certificate and sticker outlining their achievement which can be displayed in their premises.

An award will also be presented this afternoon to the ‘Top Food Safety Student’ at Wintec's School of International Tourism, Hospitality and Events. Adam Thorley-Symes will receive the award for academic achievement and coursework, excellent kitchen hygiene standards and exemplary attendance.

A full list of this year's Food Safety Award winners is available on the Hamilton website at www.hamilton.co.nz/foodsafety.