Increase in street food vendors… Food and Drugs Department commences sensitization to prevent food borne illnesses - Vendors who fail to comply will face consequences

Increase in street food vendors… Food and Drugs Department commences sensitization to prevent food borne illnesses – Vendors who fail to comply will face consequences

Feb 15, 2021 News

Street Food Vendors.

Kaieteur News – Due to the increase in the number of unauthorized street food vendors, the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD), City Public Health Department (CPHD), and Environmental Health Officers (EHOs), has commenced a sensitization and enforcement action nationwide to prevent consumers from contracting food borne illnesses.
Vendors who fail to comply with the requirements will face consequences.
According to a press release from the GA-FDD, the issue was recently deliberated at their National Food Safety and Control Committee (NFSCC) meeting hosted in January and February 2021 with Food Safety Officers.
The release stated that it was decided at the meetings to highlight the issue and to commence sensitization and enforcement action nationwide to ensure operators especially the food street vendors, are in compliance with the basic requirements to protect consumers and keep food safe.
The four basic requirements highlighted in the release are: adequate facilities to keep food warmers above 64 degree Celsius so that it can keep food warm for two hours and chillers to keep food chill between 2-8 Degrees Celsius; access to potable running water; adequate garbage disposal facilities; and possession of a valid Food Handlers ID Card.
As such, the NFSCC believes that if vendors comply with the four basic requirements and they are satisfied street vended food would be protected from the associated risks, customers would likely be less affected with food borne illnesses, and vendors would be able to continue to ply their trade.
The release further stated that, “In 2005 the Pan- American Health Organization (PAHO) conducted a burden of illness study where it was determined that diarrhea illness is very common in Guyana with 7.7 % of our population being affected annually. At the time, this figure was significantly higher than other countries in the Caribbean.”
“Reasons for the high prevalence of diarrhea cited by the Study include, inter alia, a large number of makeshift food outlets, the unavailability of potable water, inadequate waste disposal and unlicenced food vendors,” the release noted.
As a result Officers at the NFSCC meeting agreed that actions would be taken against street food vendors who fail to comply with the basic food hygiene requirements when plying their trade.
Assistance will be requested from the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the Regional Health Officers (RHO) and the Senior Environmental Health Office (EHO) of each region. This action will be taken so that support can be given to EHO inspectors when carrying out sensitization exercises and/or enforcement action.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News