Food Safety Awards event to be held March 8 at Olbrich Gardens

Madison – The Madison Department of Public Health (MDPH) will honor businesses that have gone the extra food-safety mile to protect the health of their patrons at a recognition event on Wednesday, March 8, from 2:00-3:00 p.m. at the Evjue Commons in Olbrich Gardens. Two groups will be honored: those who have won the 2005 Achievement Award for excellence in food safety and sanitation, and those who participate in the Safe Food Crew training program. Special recognition will be given to 15 Safe Food Crew participants for their training accomplishments and to 15 businesses that have received five or more Achievement Awards since the program started in 1995. “The work these establishments do to protect the health of Madison-area residents sets a precedent and should be applauded,” said Mayor Dave Cieslewicz. State Senator Mark Miller and Janet Piraino, Chief of Staff for Mayor Cieslewicz, will be attending to show their appreciation for the hard work of the honorees. Members of Madison’s Safe Food Advisory Committee will present the special recognition awards. The annual Achievement Award is given to food establishments—including restaurants, groceries and delis, fast food places, bars and grills, convenience stores and others—that have met stringent criteria in their food handling practices. Only 89 of the more than 1,000 licensed food establishments in Madison earned the award for 2005. Safe Food Crew is a nationally recognized training program created by MDPH that business owners can use to train their staff in-house in safe food handling techniques. Participants in the program can earn a Safe Food Crew window decal to let customers know they’re taking action to keep their food safe.