To ensure the safety of bread and other related items, which are produced for the general public,
the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has urged producers of confectionery and other baked goods to constantly adopt the culture of Good Hygiene Practices (GHP).
NAFDAC Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, gave the charge at the weekend during a stakeholders’ meeting with the Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria, Lagos State chapter.
Adeyeye restated that the NAFDAC would not compromise the quality of bread, a staple food for Nigerians, as it is produced for the public.
The NAFDAC boss, who was represented by the Director, Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FSAN), Eva Edwards, noted that the Agency was sensitive to the increasing costs of ingredients in the production of bread.
Edwards said that this should not be an excuse to undermine the safety and quality of bread, thereby endangering the lives of consumers in the process.
According to a statement by the Resident Media Consultant, NAFDAC, Sayo Akintola, a copy of which was made available to newsmen on Sunday in Abuja, Adeyeye noted:‘ ’You should have full confidence that you can give your family members to eat from what you have produced for the Nigerian consumers.
“In this case, you would not want to produce what will make you or your family members sick if eaten.
The NAFDAC DG urged bakers to avoid using expired raw materials and contaminated packaging materials, but to embrace a food safety culture in their activities.
According to Adeyeye: “The overall objective of GHP in the food processing sector, including bakeries, quick service restaurants, is to ensure the safety of the food from the starting materials to the final products.
“Good hygiene practices must be strictly adhered to from the beginning to the end of the production process. The finished products should not be exposed to the ravaging onslaught of rats and other pests in the Lagos metropolis.
‘’Food raw materials/ingredients that are not properly sealed, compromised packaging, infested by rodents or their droppings and not adequately labelled should not be used’’, she further warned, adding that storage and handling of food ingredients/raw materials should be such that mix-up and cross contamination are avoided.
‘’Detergents, disinfectants, engine oil/lubricants should be kept away from food raw materials’’, she said, adding that If the bakers’ operations will endanger the health of the public, then the Agency will not hesitate to take decisive action.
Adeyeye added that as a responsive Agency, NAFDAC is prepared to support their businesses to survive and thrive.
She further hinted that production facilities should not be sited in locations that can compromise the safety and quality of the finished products, such as near a cemetery or directly opposite a toilet or soakaway, affirming that there is no way the Agency would stand aloof while the health of the public is being put at a risk.
‘’GHP in food facilities covers all stages of the process, starting from the planning stage for the location of the factory. Food facilities should not be located in an area that is close to source(s) of contamination or prone to flooding,” the NAFDAC DG said.
She added that the material of the equipment should be impervious and not erode or react with the food during processing. They should be properly installed and arranged to enable easy cleaning of the immediate surroundings and allow for free movement of personnel.
Adeyeye maintained that vehicles used for transportation of chemicals, or any hazardous materials should not be used to transport bread, adding that the finished products should be adequately covered and protected from contamination while in transit.
According to Adeyeye, medical tests should be conducted periodically to ensure that personnel do not harbor any disease that could be transmitted through food, stressing that food handlers are also not expected to work with open wounds; ‘’and when they are ill, they should be excused from work’’.
She said the principles of food safety and Good Hygiene Practices should be adopted and maintained in any food production or processing facility.
She emphasized that it is imperative to ensure the wholesomeness of the raw materials/ingredients and the process of food production to consistently have wholesome end products.
The NAFDAC boss also advised the Master Bakers on the need for proper labelling of their products.
She said this includes listing the ingredients contained in the finished products in order of predominance by weight.
Adeyeye said the ingredients that weigh the most are listed first while emphasizing the importance of indicating date markings on the labels so that the consumer is informed about when the product was produced and the ‘best before’ date to guide them accordingly.
Acting Chairman of the Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria, Lagos State chapter, Matthew Ayoola, commended the initiative of NAFDAC by engaging his members on the way forward with their businesses.
He pledged that his members would use the knowledge imparted to them at the engagement to further enhance the quality of their products in the state.
Ayoola said that his association had set up a task force with a view to bringing forward any recalcitrant members to NAFDAC for necessary guidance towards compliance with the regulations, and sanctions as deemed necessary by the Agency.
