By Mildred Siabi-Mensah
Takoradi, Feb. 17, GNA – The Western Regional Branch of the Food and Drugs Authority has trained some 25 street food vendors in line with their mandate of ensuring food safety.
The exercise began last year, and according to Dr. Martin Kusi, Regional Director of the Authority, five of the street vendors who passed all criteria are to be issued the FDA Food Vending Permit to operate.
Some of the requirements for the issue of FDA Vending Permit are Business Certification Permit, Business Location Permit, Food Handling Test by the Local Assembly issued with the Permission of the FDA and Food/Street Vending Permit to Operate.
Dr. Kusi told the Ghana News Agency in an interview, that food safety was a very important component of their mandate to enable the country to have a strong and healthy population.
He urged all food vendors to buy their produce from good sources and prepare them in a hygienic manner.
Dr. Kusi entreated vegetable users to carefully wash the produce in salt-based solution or with vinegar to kill any pests or insects that might not be seen with just the eyes.
“I will also tell you salad sellers to avoid putting mayonnaise straight on salads while covering the salad bowls to avoid contamination,” he added.
The FDA, he said, would continue to conduct market surveillance and supervision to protect the generality of Ghanaians from harmful, unapproved and fake products.
GNA