Abel Ndego, the Acting Upper East Regional Head of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), has advised members of the public to verify that restaurants, “chop bars” and other food outlets display valid FDA food hygiene permits before patronising them.

According to him, the presence of an FDA food hygiene permit indicated that the facility met the Authority’s food safety requirements and was safe for public patronage.

“The permit indicates that all workers who have direct contact with food have been medically certified, and that the food preparation processes have been assessed and found not to pose any potential danger to consumers,” he said.

Mr Ndego gave the advice in an interview with the Ghana News Agency after a one-day training programme for restaurant operators, “chop bar” owners and food vendors from across the region.

The routine training, organised by the FDA as part of its mandate to promote public health and safety, brought together stakeholders including officials of the Ghana National Fire Service.

“As part of the Authority’s mandate to ensure public health and safety, it is important that we equip our clients with current best practices in food safety and quality management,” Mr Ndego stated.

The course, he said, took participants through good hygiene practices, food safety standards and hazards that threaten food safety in the region.

Mr Ndego said the training provided participants with relevant knowledge and skills that would help improve hygiene standards in their food preparation areas.

He noted that participants were also educated on proper storage and stock rotation practices, including the application of the “First In, First Out” (FIFO) and “First Expiry, First Out” (FEFO) principles to ensure that ingredients and food additives used in food preparation complied with regulatory requirements.

The programme also provided an opportunity to the participants to interact with FDA officials, who addressed their concerns and encouraged them to continue adhering to good hygiene practices in their respective establishments.