Africa-Press – Mauritius. A two-day consultative workshop on the Food Regulations, gathering stakeholders from the public and private sectors to exchange views on the proposed Food Regulations, was launched, this morning, at the Caudan Arts Centre in Port-Louis.
The Director General Health Services, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Dr B. Ori, the Representative of the World Health Organization in Mauritius, Dr Indrajit Hazarika, and other personalities, were present.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Ori underlined that the Mauritius Food Safety Agency Bill will be introduced in the National Assembly adding that the Food Bill 2022 was enacted to replace and repeal the Food Act of 1998.
The Bills, he said, will complement each other and ensure that the food that consumers buy and eat is safe and healthy. As regards food safety, he indicated that food commodities should be free from any contaminants, which are likely to alter its integrity and pose a threat to human health.
All stakeholders, he stated, should therefore ensure that there is no alteration in the food purchased and that consumers benefit from good quality products.
It is important for enforcing bodies to be aware of how and where the product has been processed and how it was distributed before reaching the consumer, he added.
Dr Ori further spoke of climate change as another factor which has a bearing on food production patterns. With soaring temperatures, stringent adherence to cold chain management is a basic necessity, he said. To this end, he stated, all enforcing bodies have implemented the use of temperature monitoring devices in all food retail outlets.
He stated that the Ministry of Health and Wellness has a crucial mandate to ensure that food made available to our citizens remains free from contaminants and any other adulterants which might constitute a health hazard.
The threat of food borne diseases, he indicated, is more than ever a public health issue. In 2021, around 3,000 patients had to be hospitalised and some 200 patients were admitted due to food poisoning, he recalled.
The new Food Regulations, he emphasised, will thus allow us to address the various shortcomings and update standards in our legislations in line with highest international norms.
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