Pembrokeshire County Councils food safety team will be assessing the eligibility of local businesses for a new food hygiene award.

Assessments will be carried out during the teams routine inspections of commercial food businesses in the county.

The Food Standards Agency and local authorities across Wales have worked together to develop the new National Food Hygiene Award Scheme. The all-Wales scheme was launched on March 1st and is available to commercial food businesses: Cafes, restaurants, shops, pubs, school kitchens, hospital kitchens, which have attained high standards of hygiene.

The scheme awards safe food handling practices, training of food handlers and hazard control systems. Those who are given the award will gain public recognition for the standards that they have achieved. There are gold, silver and bronze awards, depending on the level of compliance.

Business proprietors are asked to be patient as awards can only be issued in accordance with the Food Safety Teams programme of routine inspections and it would be inappropriate to divert resources away from those premises which might be in greater need of advice and enforcement activity.

This award is available in addition to the Heartbeat Wales Award which has been in existence for a number of years.

If you require further information or an application form for the Heartbeat Wales Award please contact the Food Safety Team on 01437 775631 fax on 01437 775491 or e-mail at foodsafety@pembrokeshire.gov.uk