INSPECTION TO ENSURE FOOD SANITARY AND HYGIENE

The Undersecretary for Health Improvement at the Health Ministry, Dr. Chris Becha has said the collaborative work between the Ministry of Health and Honiara City Council to inspect food outlets is to address sanitary and hygiene conditions of food premises.

Dr. Becha said, the current practice and behaviours are not up to standard and are in non-compliance with the Pure Food Act and Food Control Regulation 2010.

He adds, their overall goal is to help prevent foodborne diseases in our communities.

“The overall goal is to raise and improve the sanitation and hygiene standards of all food establishments within the Honiara City for the protection of the health of the people and to prevent foodborne diseases in our communities.”

The Food Hygiene and Safety Inspection Operation continues this week.

Meanwhile, a new grading system will be introduced in every established restaurants and food outlets in Honiara to enable customers to eat in healthy hygienic food outlets.

This was announced yesterday at a media conference.

Explaining how the new grading system will work is Director of the National Environmental Health Tom Nanau.

“A new grading system will be established where it will also help the public to know and this means our food outlet premises, cafe’s kai bars, will be given a grading system whereby you will see A, B or C when it’s D that is closed.”

He further explains, customers must be presented with healthy and hygienic food outlets.

“This will make things simple especially for those who are illiterate so that one could easily understand if they see an A grade they will know that this is standard and would always eat there as the food is safe in terms of the structural requirement, met all operational standards, personal hygiene, waste management in the kitchen, and pest infestation.”