Brunei Schools Act Against Food Poisoning

Bandar Seri Begawan - Following incidents of food poisoning in local schools recently the State Feeding Scheme and Hostel held a food safety briefing for registered canteen operators yesterday.

Present at the briefing were the Public Health Officer, Quality Control and Food Safety, Health Ministry, school headmasters and school canteen operators in the four districts.

During the briefing, the Head of State Feeding Scheme and Hostel Pengiran Haji Johari said in order to prevent food poisoning, school canteen operators should practice cleanliness and hygiene while serving and preparing food.

Meanwhile, the Public Health Officer, Quality Control in Food Safety Dayag Hajah Mariam said canteen operators are to be held responsible for the food served.

She said canteen operators should bring their employees to the Quality and Food Safety section of the Health Ministry for medical check-ups and briefing on how to serve food the right way.

The general role of school canteens was to serve school members such as teachers and students by preparing nutritious, attractive and affordable food.

Canteens also play their role as part of the schools' effort in creating a healthy environment. It also contributes to the school's pleasant environment reflecting the objectives and values of the educational learning institutions.

Food sold should meet the National Food Guidelines where consuming high fat and salt added sugar and low fibre must be avoided.

Drinking water is encouraged at schools.

Therefore, school canteens must provide such services, which should include preparing drinking water or boiled water as well as selling it to the students.

Canteen operators must also adhere to the principle of administration and operate it in a clean and halal condition.

The school acts as a health promotional institution. Obesity has been proven with the increasing number of sickness and death caused by high blood pressure, diabetes, coronary and kidney failure.

Obesity problem is widely happening because of over eating and not doing any exercise.

From research done, the number of obesity cases in Brunei particularly among children and teenagers has shown an increase. Active children need more energy burn off compared with adults.

There were less activities in schools and the choice of unhealthy food, which can contribute in consuming unbalanced food were causing serious health problems among children.

These problems basically will continue to prevail during adulthood, a nutrition expert said.

It is very contradictory when the students are taught in schools on how to consume healthy food and the school canteen sells unhealthy food.

This can also cause students to misunderstand that the health education of message delivered at school is also for the academic purposes and not to be practice.

Brudirect.com