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LANDMARK ACHIEVEMENT FOR EAT SAFE AWARD SCHEME IN SCOTLAND
Monday 28 April 2008
The Little Acorns Day Nursery, in Beath View, Touch, provides childcare for youngsters aged from six weeks to five-years-old, and recently received the Eat Safe Award for excellence in food hygiene and food safety management.
The scheme was launched by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in Northern Ireland in June 2003 and was rolled out across Scotland in January 2005. It aims to improve public confidence and consumer choice in catering establishments across the country.
To date, 19 local authorities, across the country, have presented Eat Safe Awards to establishments within their areas, while others are working towards their first presentations to local businesses.
Lisa Walsh, nursery manager at Little Acorns, said she was delighted to have received the landmark award, which she feels is deserved recognition for the efforts of all the staff at the nursery.
She said: "We are thrilled to have received the Eat Safe Award and to have been recognised as having reached this impressive standard of excellence in food hygiene. The safety of the youngsters we take care of is of upmost importance to us and so we are delighted to be applauded for our food safety management."
Peter Midgley, Head of the Food Law Enforcement Branch, Food Standards Agency Scotland, added: "With Little Acorns - a day nursery for children - becoming the 400th recipient to receive the Eat Safe Award, the diversity of establishments covered by the scheme has been further demonstrated.
"I am confident this landmark award will act as further encouragement to other catering establishments across the country to strive for the high standards in food hygiene and safety which the Eat Safe Award scheme encourages."
Councillor Tony Martin, Chair of Fife Council's Environment and Transportation Committee, said: "I'd like to congratulate Little Acorns on receiving this award which shows the importance they have placed on food hygiene and hope they would act as an example to other child care providers.
"We probably can't stress enough the importance of good hygiene in catering and where small children are involved high standards in food hygiene and safety are vital."
All of Scotland's thirty two Local Authorities have given their backing to the scheme, which was launched following discussions between the FSAS, the Society of Chief Officers of Environmental Health of Scotland, the Scottish Food Advisory Committee (SFAC), Scottish Local Authorities and the FSA in Northern Ireland.
Eligible establishments are assessed for the Eat Safe Award as part of scheduled food hygiene inspections carried out by Environmental Health Services. The issue and control of certificates is through local authorities and Awards are reviewed at every planned food hygiene inspection.
Further information on the Food Standards Agency Scotland and the Eat Safe scheme in particular can be found at www.food.gov.uk
ENDS
Issued on behalf of the Food Standards Agency Scotland by Mackenzie PR. For further information please call the FSAS on (01224) 285 120, or Paul Beaton at Mackenzie PR on (01224) 580 188, or email paul@mackenziepr.co.uk
