School food suppliers have received warnings from the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) about using too much sugar and other sweeteners in meals that are served to schoolchildren.
The practice exposes youngsters to a variety of health hazards that could have long-term detrimental effects, according to FDA Western Regional Director Dr. Martin Kusi.
“Food should be healthy, nutritious, and, above all, safe. No one should become ill as a result of what they eat,” he stressed, noting that vendors often added more sugar to meals because of children’s preference for sweet tastes.
He said this when the FDA and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) met with coordinators of the Western Region’s School Health Education Program (SHEP) to discuss food safety. This year’s World Food Safety Day activities included the session.
In keeping with the FDA’s mission to safeguard and advance public health, the training was designed to enable SHEP officers to efficiently perform their supervisory role in guaranteeing food safety in schools.
Unsafe meals were frequently associated with germs, dangerous chemicals, and microbial contamination, Dr. Kusi noted.
He claimed that this demonstrated the value of sensitization, which gave inspectors the information they needed to spot warning indicators early on in school inspections and implement preventative measures on time.
In order to improve the enforcement of food safety laws and safeguard the public, particularly children, from contaminated food, the FDA is collaborating with important stakeholders, with assistance from the FAO.
Source: newsthemegh.com