A NEW campaign aims to cut the number of food hygiene cases in Kirklees.
The council gets around 500 food-safety issues reported each year and many people fall violently ill.
Now health officials are working with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) on a campaign to promote food safety by helping businesses comply with food hygiene law.
The project, Safer Food, Better Business, is an innovative and practical approach to food safety management and is aimed at helping firms.
The campaign, which runs until March 1, has included posters, adverts in trade publications and regional advertising, as well as promotion on the Agency’s website.
It has targeted catering businesses that supply food direct to consumers, such as restaurants and takeaways..
Clr Mary Harkin, Kirklees Cabinet member for food safety, said: “There are over 4,000 food businesses in the Kirklees area which range from luncheon clubs and residential homes which prepare meals, to cafés, takeaways and restaurants.
“Of those that have been rated for the Scores on the Doors scheme, 19% have the highest five star rating demonstrating excellent standards of food hygiene.
“We hope the campaign will help to bring about improvements in food hygiene practice to the 23% who have only a two star rating or less.
“We also hope this campaign will reduce the number of cases of food-related illness across the authority which sees an average of about 500 cases each year, with many more going unreported.
“Illnesses such as E coli 157, Salmonella and Listeriosis can cause very unpleasant symptoms and can even result in hospitalisation or death in vulnerable groups.”
The Scores on the Doors scheme provides consumers with information about the standards of hygiene in food businesses and is based on the level of compliance with food hygiene law.
It is available on the following link http://www.scoresonthedoors.org.uk/
