NAFDAC Urges Processors, Drug, Food Vendors To Maintain Hygiene

The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Wednesday urged processors and vendors of drug, water and food to maintain personal and corporate hygiene when handling their products.
Mrs Ogochukwu Mainasara, the Director of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition in NAFDAC, gave the advice while delivering a paper at a workshop on National Food safety in Onitsha, Anambra State.
The paper was entitled: “Guides for Consumers and Household Safe handling of Food.”
Mainasara maintained that some of the food poisoning and complaints about stomach upset after consumption of food or water could be traced to the handlers or processors of the edible item.
She said that food processors and handlers must maintain personal hygiene through regular hand washing with a mild soap before processing any food for both public and household consumption.
“Personal hygiene is one of the most important principles of food safety, regardless of whether you are working in a food establishment or just cooking for yourself and your family at home.
“Food handlers, therefore, have a prime role to play in food preparation, and that is to guarantee that meals served are hygienic for consumption,’’ she said.
The director noted that the availability of safe and wholesome food to all consumers is an important component of NAFDAC’s mandate; adding: “It is one of the priority issues of public health concern.”
Earlier, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, who was represented by Dr Samson Adebayo, urged the participants to contribute meaningfully at the workshop since food safety concerned everybody.
“We expect that you listen to all the papers, ask questions since we have assembled competent and experienced resource persons to talk on topical issues concerning food safety.