Food Safety Awards presentation
By Liza Mohd

In an effort to ensure an optimum level of food safety and hygiene being observed at all the food outlets operating at BSP, BLNG, BST and BSM, the Panaga Health Centre through its Environmental Public Health Division, formerly known as Health Division, organised a Food Safety Awards presentation ceremony at the KB Boat Club yesterday afternoon.

The aim is to recognise caterers who have achieved excellent performances in terms of food safety and hygiene in their operations.

Two criteria are needed to obtain the Food Safety Award and one of them is to obtain two Grade A and two Grade B within the evaluation period. The other condition is to receive satisfactory feedbacks from caterers or asset holders.

This was highlighted by Pg Abu Bakar bin Pg Hj Karim, Head of Environmental Public Health Division of Panage Health Centre at the function.

He added that inspections are carried out every three months by the Environmental Public Health Division.

The inspection is based on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system, which is widely used in Europe, Japan and Singapore and is an effective system to evaluate or prevent food poisoning.

The system focuses on food preparations, cold storage, self-cleanliness, kitchen cleanliness, garbage disposal area, training, policy, recording system and others. In such categories, marks are awarded.

The system has been put in use by the division since 2002.

The first time the Food Safety Award was held, only four premises were eligible. This year, it has increased to seven.

The caterers said that they are satisfied with the system as they too need to know their level of achievements in terms of cleanliness, Pg Abu Bakar concluded.

Presenting the awards to the seven recipients this year was Hj Zainal Abidin Hj Mohd Ali, Deputy Managing Director of BSP.

The recipients of the Food Hygiene Awards 2003-2004 were Serikandi Catering (BLNG), Foo Kim Seng Catering Services (KBRC), HI Petroleum (Panaga Health Centre), Syarikat Junaidi Taha and Anak-Anak (BSP Head Office), Syarikat Dayang Damit (Learning and Development Centre), Syarikat Juisa General Contractor (POP/2) and Ideal Food Industries Sdn Bhd (OGDC).

The function was also followed with the renaming of the Health Division to Environmental Public Health Division of Panaga Health Centre.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin