REGION Five school vendors were among several food handlers in the region who were sensitised about safe preparation of food produced for human consumption at a one-day seminar on food safety last Tuesday
The seminar was organised by the Region Five Environmental Health Department.
School vendors in particular were advised by the organisers about the timeliness of the training exercise, given the imminence of the new school term.
Officials said the department wanted to ensure that foods that are prepared by vendors and sold to children are properly cooked.
The seminar was attended by 35 food handlers throughout the region.
Other participants at the event which was held at the head office at Bush Lot Village, West Coast Berbice, included itinerant food vendors, snackette owners, restaurant owners and butchers.
Environment Department officials disclosed that butchers were specially targeted because there were concerns about the conditions under which meat was cut, stored and offered for sale by some.
Resource persons at the seminar stressed the importance of cleaning and sanitising in the food-making process.
They recommended the use of cleaning agents that can reduce the amount of micro-organisms on food contact surfaces, personal hygiene and good manufacturing practices designed to eliminate risks involved in food production.
The participants were also provided checklists for pest control monitoring and cleaning waste.
The butchers were told of ante-mortem and post-mortem inspections of animals being slaughtered for sale and the hazards associated with raw and cooked meat.
They were also briefed on the food safety regulations of Guyana.
Last week’s event was part of an ongoing programme to sensitise food handlers in the regions of safe and healthy preparation of food.