Food safety addressed to eliminate contaminated, substandard edibles

…Risk-Based Food Inspection Manual to be implemented

In order to produce food that is safe, nutritive, and of high quality, stakeholders involved in food safety regulations were on Wednesday featured in a workshop targeting how desired standards and guidelines can be achieved.
The workshop, held at the Grand Coastal Hotel, was in partnership with the Public Health Ministry, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and other regulatory branches that address food safety.
According to Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Shamdeo Persaud, one item on the agenda included the Risk-Based Food Inspection Manual, which will be altered specifically for Guyana. This is in light of the recent passage of the Food Safety bill, which warrants the establishment of a Food Safety Authority.
“This manual that they recommend to countries is to adopt for local use. Our recent developments under food safety, especially the imminent launch of the new Food Safety Authority, we thought we could bring all the stakeholders together who are involved in food safety procedures, regulations and so on. We will go through the manual. We have already done some work on it. During this workshop, we will have a final look at it and get a Guyana version of the manual that would then be used by the respective agencies in the implementation of risk-based inspection of food,” Persaud explained.
He insisted that the main objective is to produce food items of an undeniably reputable standard for both local and international markets. It has been shown that dishes prepared in the household are safe and uncontaminated by bacteria or other impurities.
“The objective here is to make foods available for both our local population and food products for export that are high-quality, wholesome, and safe. I can say on a greater part, most of the household foods are safe. The Ministry of Health, through the Food and Health Department and Environmental Health Unit, has been actively advising households about how to purchase, prepare, store and use food safely,” the CMO related.
Generally, it is recommended that food be consumed within two hours of preparation and if stored, the temperature must be of a specific degree. Good personal hygiene is also mandatory during handling and it must be done in an environment that is free of pests and has adequate storage facilities.
Presently, restaurants and roadside vendors are yet to meet some of the standards established. Nevertheless, the first objective is to have all food handlers issued with the relevant certificate to operate.
Persaud stated, “At the level of the commercial food providers, most of them like restaurants, cook shops [and] even the roadside vending, there are some bit of regulation. The Food and Drug Department and the Environmental Health Unit, and the regional and municipal inspectors would go around and ensure that food handlers are first of all, certified. We’re not quite there yet with everyone. There is still some work to do”.
All food handlers are required to ensure that their hair is secured, jewellery are removed, and they are dressed appropriately as part of personal hygiene requirements. Water used during preparation must also be free of any toxins, since some bacterium can survive intense heat and cold.
The CMO specifically mentioned improper storage of meats, which is common in marketplaces and other trading stations. In most cases, animals are slaughtered and hung for many hours instead of being stored on ice. Consumers also opt to buy fish that is stored at room temperature since some amount of ‘freshness’ is guaranteed. Contrary to this, Persaud insisted that seafood stored in a colder temperature is safer to use.
Over the past months, the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department (GAFDD) has visited a few restaurants, where appalling sanitary conditions were unearthed. While some establishments were forced to close, others were given a deadline to mend the issues highlighted.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Shamdeo Persaud with officials from PAHO and stakeholders of the workshop