3-day seminar on food safety opens

The Government Analyst-Food and Drug Department, in collaboration with Technological Solutions Limited (TSL), began its Preventive Qualified Individual (PCQI) seminar at the Herdmanston Lodge in Georgetown.
The three-day course is aimed at developing food safety plans and ensuring good manufacturing practices. The programme will also feature chemical, physical, economical and biological motivated food safety hazards, preliminary steps in developing a food safety plan, resources for food safety plans and a technical assistance network (TAN) which will be beneficial to the public.
TSL Manager Helen Kennedy said exporters must meet requirements of the Food Safety Modernisation Act (FSMA), which was signed into law since 2011 and was now being enforced, before exporting items to various countries.
Government Analyst-Food and Drug Department Director Marlan Cole noted that the Act was to protect consumers from substandard goods.
TSL Managing Director Andre Gordon said he was honoured to be working along with the Public Health Ministry and was afforded the opportunity to work with the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry earlier in the year. Gordon highlighted that he and Kennedy were certified lead instructors and were recognised by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “For you to be certified we have to be confident that each of you understands and have demonstrated so by your dedication and the feedback that we get. I highly urge those from the Private Sector to make sure they have a copy of the manual.” He told participants that the manual would prove invaluable to them in running their respective businesses.
Gordon noted that probably the most important part of the manual was under the appendices which have the regulations, technical recourse, and information.
Day three will give an overall review after the programme has concluded.
The entity that distributed the manuals is called the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance.
The objective of this workshop is for the public to have access to information provided for food safety.