City of Sydney awarded for food safety efforts

The City of Sydney has received the NSW Food Authority’s Food Surveillance Award for its efforts to ensure food safety in the city.

The awards are presented every two years to recognise best practice in food hygiene by local government and authorities.

“We conduct around 2500 inspections each year to ensure food safety is of the highest standards for the millions of residents, workers and tourists who eat out each year,” said City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore.

“We work closely with the industry to maintain high standards and the vast majority of businesses do the right thing. But there is no room for sympathy for operators who put the public’s health at risk.”

The City of Sydney was recognised for a number of its practices, including:

• A unique risk rating system that allows resources to be directed at poorly performing businesses and repeat offenders.
• A new system to regulate the city’s fleet of food trucks.
• Enlisting more than 460 businesses into the Scores on Doors program that encourages high hygiene standards and reducing fees for participating operators.

“The City’s risk rating system directs resources where they are most needed - it’s helping well-run businesses get on with the job of serving their customers,” said Moore.

Working with the NSW Food Authority, the City is responsible for safeguarding hygiene standards in more than 4000 retail food premises and conducts more than 2400 inspections each year - more than any other council in the state.

The City also provides advice, guidance and free hygiene training to food businesses to help maintain food hygiene standards across the city. More than 460 businesses in the city have signed up with Scores on Doors, which awards restaurants a star rating based on their hygiene standards.

More information is available here.