Food handling seminars for vendors pushed

Continuous food handler seminars for vendors near public schools and random inspection of eateries should be carried out in Quezon City to ensure that schoolchildren do not fall victim to food poisoning.

This assessment was strongly pushed as the scorching summer heat speeds up food spoilage, putting public health and wellness at dangerously at high risk.

The risk factor of having food spoilage in the city’s eateries was further increased with the water crisis experienced by the public in a large portion of the city.

Complaints of food spoilage have reached a number of city councilors.

Councilor Allan Benedict Reyes wants to be assured that the city government’s sanitation inspectors continue to conduct sessions of proper food handling at the designated barangay halls and health centers to ensure the safety not only of the students but also of the general public.

He reminded ambulant vendors to secure health certificates and sanitation permits from the city health department as a sign that the food they are selling are safe to eat before they are allowed to operate.

“The city health department should entice ambulant vendors to strictly comply with the city’s sanitation requirements,” Reyes said.

Councilor Victor Ferrer Jr. has recommended that “only freshly cooked and prepared packed food items should be sold to schoolchildren.’’

Aside from organizing food handling classes, Ferrer said personnel from the sanitation division should also step up the inspection of school canteen facilities to determine their compliance with sanitation requirements.

The councilors also want regular inspections of the toilets and water facilities of the different Quezon City schools.

Reyes said that he prefers that the city health department also check the safety of the food sold in small eateries or carinderias.

“If possible I want the city health department to conduct random inspections on restaurants and small eateries to ensure that only safe food and viands are sold to the public. It would be better if food samples can be taken and examined at laboratories to determine if they are safe for human consumption,’’ he said.

Quezon City has 95 public elementary schools and 46 high schools. (Chito A. Chavez)