Reports have it that some foods produced and supplied by food vendors at the airports are bad for human consumption.
There have been complaints by passengers of foods served onboard alleged to be staled, expired or contaminated.
Such foods no doubt could lead to serious health issues and even death.
To this end, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, says it
had put plans in place to ensure that foods produced and supplied by operators were of international standards.
Speaking at the maiden Airport Food Safety Awareness program at the MMIA, Lagos, the Managing Director FAAN, Captain Hamisu Yadudu said it became important to bring together operators of food outfits and suppliers to educate them to ensure safety compliance in the production and supply of foods to their clients and customers.
Yadudu said the authority would henceforth subject operators to routine six monthsbmedical examination to ascertain their fitness and personal hygiene
because of the safety critical implications of their business.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Nehemiah Auta,Yadudu said the
authority had to raise the bar in pre- qualification requirements for
food vendors at the airports to enable them meet best global practices in the food vending value chain.
He stated that FAAN would continue to collaborate with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA), NAFDAC, Port Health Services , Lagos State Safety Commission and other stakeholders to ensure that persons
approved to supply food at the airports complied with world class
health, regulatory, and environmental prerequisites.
The FAAN boss said operators at the airport have to be scrutinized to
ensure that they do not only meet the medical requirements, but ensure that the environment where such food are purchased; processed, handled and transported met the highest standards possible.
He said FAAN was raising the bar in regulating operators in the food
value chain because of increasing incidence of food poisoning and
contamination by passengers.
He said: “Any food vendor found to be involved in selling any food at
airports that results in poisoning or contamination will be shut. All
operators must submit their food, personnel to medical screening.”
He said the authority was working towards achieving a decent and
healthy food safety delivery within the airport environment.
“This can only be achieved if we are able to identify and control
factors that mitigate against food poisoning , which threatens the
welfare and survival of our staff and customers .”
In her presentation, a resource person, Ms Agharese Lucia Ojelede,
while speaking on the topic: ” Aviation Industry and Food Safety:
Connecting the link”, canvassed routine inspection and audit of food
vendors at airports as part of efforts to keep them in check.
She called for certification of food vendors at airports, whom she
said must look out for their source of water; transportation system;
supply chain; state of hygiene of the workers and the environment in
which food is prepared.
She noted that most cases of food poisoning involving passengers were not reported to enable the regulators sanction erring operators.
Ojelede said:” FAAN has to look at the quality of food sold at the
airports. If there are infractions in service, people needed to know
who to report to for remedial action because of hazards that could
lead to injury or loss of lives.”
She however, observed that FAAN should step its game by ensuring that there was good food safety measures at airports if operators consider carrying out business far away from broken pipes; gutters; dung heap,canalsand waste disposal sites.
Dr. Bolanle Olatunji, General Manager, FAAN Aviation Clinic emphasized that for food safety, there must be good environmental hygiene, proper waste disposal system, periodic inspection of sites.”Good personal hygiene of staff, food storage, sourcing and handling, test of the materials(foods)”.
She stated that port health should also carryout a thorough screening of the producers and suppliers before the issuance of the certificate to operate, adding that standards should never be compromised because life’s were involved.
Also contributing, General manager SERVICOM, Mrs. Ebele Okoye pleaded with food suppliers not to allow themselves be tempted to serve their clients left over confectioneries from the previous day as such foods do not last for 24 hours.
Mr. Ifem Francis from the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, urged FAAN to handle over to the agency any food operator who was found culpable of serving staled or contaminated foods for probe and prosecution.
General Manager, Environment, Mrs. Janet Omere assured that FAAN had intensified surveillance of the operations of the food Stakeholders in line with its mandate of promoting the health of the consumers.
In attendance were representatives from the port health services, food vendors, Airlines, Lagos State Safety Agency, NAFDAC, NCAA, NAMA, MMIA staff among others.
Highlights was the cutting of the Food Safety Program and group photographs of dignitaries.
