The Oxoid awards for food hygiene and safety are designed to reward the companies, laboratories and individuals who ensure that food is safe to eat, and to give them the publicity they deserve
For the 2004/2005 awards, for which entries close on 30 June 2005, a new category the Judges' Special Award, has been launched.
"In previous years of the Oxoid awards, the judges found that some entries did not meet the criteria for Laboratory Technician of the Year or Laboratory of the Year, but were worthy of special mention" says Roy Betts, head of microbiology at Campden and Chorleywood Food Research Association and one of the judges.
"So for 2004/2005 Oxoid has generously introduced the Judges' Special Award.
"If you, your team or organisation has undertaken work that makes a significant contribution to improving standards of food hygiene and food safety, but that is not entirely, or in any way, laboratory-based, then this award category should be of interest you".
The prizewinner will receive £500 and a commemorative trophy.
The Oxoid Laboratory Technician of the Year will receive £1000, a trip to the 2006 International Association of Food Protection Meeting in Calgary, Canada, and a commemorative trophy.
For the Oxoid Laboratory of the Year Award entries are welcome from all types of laboratories that are involved in food hygiene and safety.
The £500 first prize will allow the winning laboratory to celebrate its achievements and the commemorative trophy will be a long-term reminder that they excel at what they do.
The Awards are easy to enter - there are no entry forms to complete.
See Oxoid's website for details.
