Group advocates policy framework for food handling in Nigeria

Speaking at the maiden edition of ‘food safety week’ in Kaduna, the national coordinator of the organisation, Octus Adonis said that there is no concise policy framework guiding handling of food in the country. “The food rule seems open as federal government can make rules, so also the state and local governments and also implement […]

Speaking at the maiden edition of ‘food safety week’ in Kaduna, the national coordinator of the organisation, Octus Adonis said that there is no concise policy framework guiding handling of food in the country.
“The food rule seems open as federal government can make rules, so also the state and local governments and also implement them. At the state level, it has been relegated to the local government while the local government relegated it to the environmental officers. There is a big gap between food and the environment. The environment may look clean but the food handler is not clean and this is a challenge,” he reiterated.
He mentioned that the essence of the food safety week is to disseminate and collate food safety messages from the various stakeholders. He disclosed that the state health ministry in collaboration with his organisation plans to introduce ‘ food handlers’ card’ which he said will serve as a form of identification to tell members of the public that such food handler has been trained, certified and are free from any form of food borne disease.
Before the food handlers’ card will be issued to any food handler, he made known that he/she will be subjected to training and given a manual to read after which they will sit for either oral or written examination.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Thot Joseph Dogo decried the poor handling of food and vegetables by food handlers; noting that the outbreak of diseases such as typhoid can be drastically reduced if foods are properly and hygienically handled.
In a paper presentation by the Head of Department of Microbiology at the Kaduna State University (KASU), Dr. Bimbo Orukotan the HOD urged both professional and domestic food handlers to be vigilant while preparing food as well as observe hygienic rules of food preparation.
While she advised professional food handlers who suffer from fever, diarrhoea, vomiting or visible infected skin lesions to report to their employers immediately; she mentioned that the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) keys to safer food serve as basis for educational programmes to train food handlers and educate consumers.
The keys which include: keeping clean, separating raw and cooked food, cooking thoroughly, keeping food at safe temperatures and using safe water are important in preventing food poisoning.