News
Food hygiene scrutiny handicapped due to old laws and lack of labs
View(s):- How clean are eateries and restaurants you visit?
By Kasun Warakapitiya
Public health officers are grappling with archaic laws, shortages of staff and lack of laboratories as they continue to check food outlets and restaurants that break the law.
The Sunday Times observed that canteens, eateries, restaurants and even kiosks were charging high prices for food, yet the hygienic conditions of food storage as well as the ingredients used to prepare meals are of poor quality.
Improper storage of food items, use of expired ingredients, not maintaining a clean kitchen, and washing cooking utensils in washrooms are among the offences committed by eateries and restaurants.
PHIs conducting a raid on an eatery: PHIs say they are handicapped by the inadequacy of the law to ensure food we eat at eateries and restaurants is hygienically prepared . Pix by Priyanka Samaraweera
The Public Health Inspectors Union says the archaic laws and regulations of the Food Act allow vendors, restaurants, eateries and canteens to continue to break the laws without serious repercussions.
The Union’s General Secretary, Chamil S Muthukuda, told the Sunday Times that despite health authorities’ regular checkups on the condition of food at restaurants, eateries and consumable items in supermarkets, the quality of food is unsatisfactory.
Dr K. Sripathapan
He said that the Food Act was last amended 34 years back (during 1991). The fines and regulations had not been updated.
“Eatery owners and the food vendors are aware of this; they know that they can pay the fines and continue to provide food without rectifying their shortcomings and misdemeanours,” he said.
Mr Muthukuda said more need to be recruited for PHI jobs. Normally, the regulations stipulate that there should be one PHI for 10,000 people.
But, he said that there should be at least one PHI for every 6,000 persons. The urban and suburban areas with high populations, as well as rural cities with large areas to be covered, were now divided among a few PHIs.
The PHI union also said limited lab facilities affected their task. There are only two microbiological test labs and five chemical testing labs in the country.
Accordingly, the Medical Research Institute and the National Institute of Health are the only institutes equipped to handle microbiological tests, while three of the five chemical analysis laboratories are based in Western Province. They are the Government Analyst Department Laboratory, the CMC City Analysis Lab, and the National Health Science Institute Lab. Both the Government Analyst’s lab at Anuradhapura and the government laboratory in Wayamba are the only labs in the provinces.
The few laboratories are not equipped to handle all the tests. PHIs are unable to send samples for testing, as the labs are far away.
People who patronise canteens, restaurants and eateries say food hygiene remains poor despite the food being expensive.
The Colombo Municipal Council’s Chief Medical Officer (CMOH), Dr K. Sripathapan, told the Sunday Times that despite rigorous raids, strict action and warnings, the food vendors and eatery managers still try to make a buck by selling low-quality food.
He believes that repetitive raids, strict inspections and actions are taken to compel them to provide good quality food.
“Every Wednesday both Medical Officers of Health (MOH) and Public Health Inspectors (PHI) from the six MOH offices are sent on food inspections of eateries in their areas,” he said.
According to him, 100 food outlets and dining establishments are checked weekly. At least five complaints are received in a week.
According to Dr Sripathapan, said warnings are issued, and food unfit for consumption is destroyed. Offenders are taken to court.
The Colombo Municipal Council had filed 637 court cases on food quality, dengue and other matters from January to date. During the corresponding period, the fines imposed over food quality-related matters totalled Rs 5,387,500.
Raids had increased this year, as there had only been 773 court cases on food quality, dengue and other matters last year. Food-related fines amounted to Rs 746,300.
Dr Sripathapan said samples of food are collected for microbiological and chemical tests. The city analyst lab carries out 50 chemical tests, while the microbiological lab does 200 tests per month.
Recently at a public event, the Parliament kitchen came under heavy criticism by Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne. He said the kitchen was unhygienic and there were mice and cockroaches.
Gampaha District Parliamentarian Prasad Siriwardena, however, checked the kitchen on Wednesday and issued a statement, claiming that the kitchen staff had been taking measures to maintain hygiene and that there were no issues regarding the quality of food over 35 years.
He noted a lack of facilities in the kitchen. Six out of the seven stoves do not work.
Most of the equipment is in a dilapidated state. There is also a lack of essential kitchen utensils. Exhaust fans do not work. Chiller rooms need to be renovated.
Repeated attempts were made to reach the Medical Officer of Health in charge of Battarmulla, as well as the PHI. They were unavailable for comment, claiming a report has been sent to parliament.
| Raids on eateries to continueThe Colombo Municipal Council said more raids will be done to check the quality of food sold in school canteens, workplaces and other areas. CMC Chief Medical Officer Dr K Sripathapan said night raids are also held to check eateries operating at nighttime. The CMC food unit would operate until 10:00 pm and record complaints sent via the hotline 011 2676161, he said. Apart from that, complaints could also be made to Chief Public Health Inspector T.H.D.C. Vithanage by calling 0112 696594. Dr Sripathapan said six medical officers of health offices have been assigned to act on complaints. | |
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!