A four or five-star food safety rating was achieved by 93% of food businesses in the MidCoast, compared to the state average of 79%.
As we head out to wine and dine during the holidays, spare a thought for the hard work that goes into making your food safe.
Unsafe food and drink can cause problems so it's good to know that local food businesses are performing very well overall.
It's MidCoast Council's role to regulate food safety and help food businesses to comply with the NSW Food Authority's regulations.
"Our primary aim is to help food businesses meet the Australian and New Zealand Food Standards," Council's Director of Liveable Communities, Paul De Szell, said.
"We conduct inspections and investigate complaints, but our main focus is on preventing issues through education. We provide seminars, training videos, newsletters, and face-to-face assistance.
"We're very proud of how well our local food businesses have performed."
Mr De Szell explained that local and visitor confidence in a safe dining experience can lead to economic benefits for the area.
The food safety rating, known as 'Scores on Doors' can help you understand which businesses have performed well during food safety inspections. A five-star score shows that the business is meeting its food handling, hygiene and sanitation obligations to a high standard. Many businesses choose to display their score. Keep an eye out for Scores on Doors these holidays.