Food And Drugs Authority (FDA) Sensitizes Frozen Food Dealers
The Ashanti Regional Directorate of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) on Wednesday and Thursday held a training workshop for dealers in frozen foods as well as cold store operators.
The training centered on a variety of topics including cleanliness, right temperature observation as well as the general sanitation at places of sales.
Welcoming participants to the program, Mrs Nora Narkie Terlabie, Ashanti Regional Director of the FDA said it was important that all avenues are explored to make foods and products wholesome throughout the year.
She noted that the FDA together with dealers in frozen food would continue to research new ways to make foods wholesome and hygienic.
ADVICE:
Madam Terlabie said most often dealers ignore the taking down of details of their operations, an act she said was very bad for referencing.
She noted that the Authority would demand and require information such as batch numbers, room temperature and other essential details from dealers to work on complaints the outfit receives from the public or consumers.
The Director revealed that some operators of frozen foods do not know they have to keep records of the temperature in their cold rooms.
Others, she mentioned do not observe clean environments at the place of sales, adding the training would address all the issues to ensure the public are served with wholesome fish and frozen foods all the time.
PARTICIPANTS:
Maame Gyaama, owner of Chilling Cold Store expressed happiness about the training workshop.
She noted that the resource persons had given detail on what they needed to do to attract customers as well as keep their products wholesome all year round.
Dan Boateng, an operator at the Asafo Market said before the training he had not taken basic hygiene issues seriously like the washing of clothes as well as keeping the surroundings clean at all times.
He pledged to take the lessons learnt to his colleagues who could not attend the workshop so that together they can serve customers better by implementing high standards as required by the FDA.
Meanwhile, the FDA has banned the importation of day old chicks and poultry from some European Countries.
Sources at the FDA say full details of the ban and reasons would be communicated to the public very soon.