Breckland district council are encouraging residents to check the food hygiene ratings of their favourite restaurants before booking a festive meal.
November figures show there are 1,147 food businesses in the district which have achieved a hygiene rating of 'satisfactory' or higher.
The number of businesses with hygiene scores of three, four, or five, (satisfactory, good, and very good) is currently 97pc, which is an all time high.
There are no businesses with the lowest rating of zero; four with a rating of two (requires improvement); and 36 with a rating of one (major improvement necessary).
However, the council is urging residents to 'look before you book' to prevent poor food hygiene ratings spoiling their festive parties.
Food safety officers carry out regular, unannounced inspections at local food businesses and manage the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) in the district, alongside the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
They cover restaurants, cafes, takeaways and food shops, and are reminding residents to look up their favourite restaurant before making a booking for Christmas, to make sure they are satisfied that the business has good food hygiene regimes in place.
Businesses are given a green and black sticker to display their rating for customers to see.
Breckland council's food, health and safety team works closely with businesses to help them address areas for improvement.
Cllr Alison Webb, executive member for people and information, said: 'The fact that our district consistently has such high ratings is great news for residents.
'Its a testament to our food, health and safety team's dedicated work to monitor standards and advise on the highest possible food hygiene practices.
'With so many restaurants to choose from that take food safety seriously, there's no need to risk food poisoning over the festive season.
'Have a look at the ratings before booking your meal - and if you are a business, make sure you display your rating with pride and have a very prosperous Christmas season.'
You can check food hygiene scores in the Breckland area by searching for the 'Food Hygiene Rating Scheme' on www.breckland.gov.uk.
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