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Analyst Dept. urges measures to safeguard foods
Concerns about worrying proportions of diarrheal illness have triggered moves to ensure the safety
Food and Drug Director, Marlan Cole
of cooked food consumed by the public. The use of warmers and chillers to maintain the integrity of foods suitable for consumption is being encouraged by the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD).
Food and Drug Director, Mr. Marlan Cole, yesterday revealed that “the Government Analyst-Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) wishes to advise vendors and other operatives in the food service industry (ready to eat food) to ensure foods are served to consumers at the correct temperature by using warmers and chillers”.
The Department, according to Cole, has observed that some caterers and vendors when delivering and/or selling ready to eat foods, consistently allow food to be kept in the danger zone. The danger zone for food is at room temperature or temperature between 100C – 60 0C for in excess of two hours.
“This practice allows for the rapid growth and multiplication of pathogenic (bad) bacteria that may result in food poisoning or food intoxication by bacteria or their toxins when used by consumers,” Cole explained.
He further pointed out that “Unsuspecting consumers are then presented with food-borne disease symptoms such as diarrhoea (acute gastroenteritis – AGE), vomiting and stomach cramps in some cases.”
In 2009, the Ministry of Public Health in collaboration with the Pan-American Health Organization/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) conducted a Burden of Illness (BOI) study, where it was reported that the overall monthly average of self-reported cases of Acute Gastroenteritis was 7.7 percent and the yearly prevalence was 1.0 episode per person-year.
According to reports, acute gastritis is a sudden inflammation or swelling in the lining of the stomach. While gastritis only directly affects the stomach, gastroenteritis affects both the stomach and the intestines.
The statistics generated from PAHO/WHO’s BOI appears to be higher than similar studies conducted in other countries. This suggests that diarrheal illness is common in Guyana with public health and economic significance.
Against this background, Cole said that “Consumers are therefore advised to purchase foods that are served in warmers or chillers where applicable and food service providers/vendors have a responsibility to ensure foods, particularly high-risk foods, during storage, transportation, distribution or when served hot – above 640C or chilled – below 50C.”
The Department, the Food and Drug Director noted, “will continue to build capacity in our food microbiological laboratory to test and analyze samples of foods submitted by Environmental Health Officers from the regions and Public Health Inspectors in the city and municipalities, in support of their surveillance and regulatory oversight of the food service industry.”
According to PAHO/WHO, food contaminated by bacteria, viruses, parasites, or harmful chemicals can in fact cause over 200 diseases, from diarrhea to cancer. In the Americas, an estimated 35 million children under five suffer from these illnesses each year. In addition to children, pregnant women, people with compromised immune systems and older adults are more vulnerable to these types of illness.
Symptoms of food-borne illness include: stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea, chills, fever, and headache. In some cases, food-borne illness can be fatal, PAHO/WHO has informed. The body has noted too that symptoms can appear anywhere from 30 minutes to two weeks after a person has come in contact with food-borne bacteria, although they usually appear in the first 4-48 hours.
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