Food safety inspectors from islands complete HACCP audit workshop

The Inspectorate of Public Health, Social Development and Labour IVSA in collaboration with Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) held a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) audit workshop at Holland House Beach Hotel from September 14 to 18, writes The Daily Herald.

The topics addressed during the workshop were the implementation of a HACCP plan and the technique of auditing HACCP programmes. The workshop was well attended by food safety inspectors from St. Maarten, Curaçao, Aruba, Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba.

Facilitators from PAHO were Graziela Correa-Costa and Rosana Silva. Attendees were presented with a certifi cate at the end of the fi ve day workshop which IVSA said was “very educational and informative.”

Participants are expected to be better equipped to audit food safety programmes based in HACCP programmes and “guarantee high level of food safety on the island,” IVSA said.

The objective of HACCP is safeguarding food safety. HACCP is a method where systematically every step in the food processes is monitored in order to guarantee a safe fi nal product, IVSA said in a press release on Thursday.

The food industry is responsible for producing, preparing, serving and selling safe food and government is responsible for setting food safety standards, conducting inspections, and monitoring food products, including imports, said IVSA in the release.