Today is World Safety Day (7 June) and we’re using it to shine a light on the important work done by our Environmental Health Officers (EHOs).
Food Safety doesn’t get the same publicity as other work done by Council but given 4.1 million Australians each year are affected by a foodborne illness, it’s pretty important.
So, we thought we’d walk you through how Kiama Council, through our EHOs, is doing its bit for food safety in our community.
We have more than 200 food shops in our Municipality, ranging from various temporary food stalls and cafes to grocery stores and restaurants, so our EHOs certainly have a lot on their plate.
Their current portfolio includes routine inspections of all food retailers to monitor compliance with the Food Act (2003) and related Food Safety Standards.
These inspections will be conducted once or twice a year depending on the nature of the food preparation at each business.
These inspections ensure food is being prepared and handled in a safe, hygienic manner, as well as in an appropriate environment.
You will all be happy to know that 93 per cent of our local food businesses passed their inspections this year with flying colours.
What’s more we had a grand total of zero confirmed foodborne illness cases.
Our EHOs are also busy preparing for the launch of a new Food Safety Standard (3.3.1A) on Friday 8 December.
This includes getting our local ‘foodies’ ready as well.
Now is a fantastic time to seek training in the following areas: safe handling of food, food contamination, cleaning and sanitising of food premises and equipment, and personal hygiene.
You can also help our staff promote food safety in the industry by completing our free I’m Alert Food Safety training.
