[ 2016-10-21 ]

FDA to roll out new grading system for food establishments
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) would from next
year roll out a new grading system known as
Standards for Grading Food Service Establishments,
to ensure compliance with hygiene and food
management systems.

According to Mr. Jake Amoaku-Mensah, a Senior
Regulatory Officer at the FDA, food establishments
formed an integral part of supply chain and were
conduits for the spread of food-borne diseases.

Mr. Amoaku-Mensah said the standard would give
consumers the opportunity to make informed choices
when whenever selecting food joints in the country
as well as foster healthy competition.

He was speaking at the Food Safety Awareness
Workshop as part of the World Food Day Celebration
on the theme: "Climate is changing, Food and
Agriculture must too, so must attitude towards
Food security."

The standards would be graded from A, B, and C and
would require establishments to maintain floors,
ceilings, drainage systems. Currently, the FDA
issues Food Hygiene Permits to food operators.

Additionally, the Senior Regulatory Officer said
business establishments would ensure that there
was no cross contamination and promote effective
and proper documentation of cleaning services.

According to him, the new grading systems would
compel all food handlers to undergo food safety
training and that would be taken to the latter.

“All employees must take food handlers Test and
a compulsory handwashing Training,” he added.

He explained that under the new guidelines, proper
waste disposal and ensure that designated areas
for storing raw materials were proper fumigation
undertaken by personnel of the Environmental
Protection Agency.

Mr. Benjamin Osei Tutu, Head of Foodborne Disease
Surveillance Unit, FDA said the Authority and the
Ghana Health Service would provide formed at
various hospitals to monitor activities of
foodborne diseases or food poisoning reported at
these health facilities.

The exercise, according to Mr Tutu, which was
piloted at the Adenta Municipality would soon be
replicated nationwide.

Citing a survey conducted on foodborne diseases in
the Municipality in February 2015 and December
2015, he said 163 cases of a foodborne case were
reported.

According to him persons from 25 to 34 recorded
the highest victims and 53 percent emanated from
consumption of home meals and few restaurants and
other food joints.

He explained that foodborne diseases, which occur
within 72 hours with symptoms such as abdominal
pains, vomiting, nausea and increased body
temperature.

Mr. Tutu said there were about 250 foodborne
diseases and with new pathogen coming up every
day.

He reminded the public of the law to disallow
people with certain ailments to desist from in
operating food joints.

He said the FDA was doing it could within its
mandate help prevent the outbreak of foodborne
diseases and assured the public that the authority
would build a credible database for strategic
public health interventions.

Source - Joyfm

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