A NATIONAL commendation has been given to Swindon Council in recognition of the quality of its food safety measures.

The accolade comes from Foodlink, a national campaign run by the Food and Drink Commission in order to focus public attention on food hygiene.

In June, as part of its Junior Good Citizen scheme, the council held a food safety event at the County Ground, and it is this that the commendation specifically recognizes.

On the day, a total of 1,000 Year 6 pupils from schools throughout the borough were given practical instruction in subjects such as the importance of hand washing, the safe handling of barbecue food and the dangers of cross contamination such as when uncooked meat is stored next to or above cooked meat. The training was given in a specially-constructed giant kitchen housing a barbecue, a refrigerator and an ultra-violet handwash detector, and teachers came armed with special information packs sent out in advance.

The council's environmental health education officer, Eunice Salmon, said: "We received some very favourable feedback from the children themselves, saying that they now realised the dangers of bacteria and why it's important to separate raw and cooked foods."