Only seven food businesses in Sutherland Shire were fined for poor hygiene standards last year, but dozens of others were told to clean up their act.
Sutherland Shire Council provided details of its inspection program at the request of the Leader following the salmonella poisoning outbreak linked to Box Village Bakery.
“In 2014/15, Sutherland Shire Council conducted 1574 food shop inspections,” a spokeswoman said.
”Of those inspections 63 warning letters, five improvement notices and seven penalty infringement notices were issued.”
The spokeswoman said, under an agreement with the NSW Food Authority, the council inspected all retail food businesses, childcare centres, temporary food premises and mobile food premises in the shire.
”The inspection process helps ensure food businesses are aware of food safety practices and comply with the Food Act 2003, Food Regulation 2015 and the Food Safety Standards Code,” she said.
As previously reported, the spokeswoman said Box Village Bakery was inspected by council twice a year, with the last inspection in September 2015.
Before last month’s food poisoning outbreak, there had not been any complaints about the Sylvania bakery, nor were any issues identified during the last inspection, she said.
The spokeswoman said, following last month’s food poisoning, the council's call centre and environmental health unit had received several complaints from ill and concerned customers.
“The matter is being investigated by the NSW Food Authority as per the protocol for food borne illness investigations,” she said.
A spokeswoman for the NSW Food Authority said no further information was available on its investigation.
The shop remains closed under a trading ban, which was imposed until the inquiry is completed.
The final number of people who sought hospital treatment was 151.
The NSW Food Authority maintains a “name and shame” file on food shops, based on reports councils are obliged to provide.
There are two lists food businesses alleged to have breached food standards.
One list includes on-the-sport fines (penalty notices), and the other records fines imposed by courts.
A typical penalty notice was issued to a Caringbah business, which was fined $440 for “failing to take all practicable measures to eradicate and prevent the harbourage of pests”.
Visit: foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/
