GFSA: Promoting food safety through standards
Food safety is important as it helps to protect consumers from the risk of food borne illnesses. It also helps to prevent consumers from risks of health–related conditions such as allergy, and even death. A crucial way of ensuring that the food consumed do not adversely affect our health, is to prepare and handle them in accordance with the requirements of National and International Food Safety Standards and Guidelines. The designated authority responsible for protecting the health and wellbeing of consumers in Guyana is the Guyana Food Safety Authority (GFSA).
The GFSA was established in 2019 to implement and enforce the provisions of the Food Safety Act and to ensure that all agricultural produce, whether produced locally or imported, are of the highest quality, meeting the strictest of hygienic conditions. The Body was mandated to provide guidance to persons engaged in the Food Business, implement technical standards and requirements of the Food Safety Act and provide training for persons engaged in the preparation and sale of food items.
To better provide these services, the Authority in 2021 engaged the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) to train its staff and Inspectors on the food safety related standards.
Senior Food Inspector of the GFSA Ms. Shamein Moseley said the GNBS was chosen “because of the high-quality training service it is known to offer,” which is supported by favourable reviews from other lead organisations. Additionally, the courses provided are relevant and affordable.
In July of 2021, eleven (11) staff from the GFSA and ten(10) National Plant Protection Officers, who will function as Inspectors under the Authority, underwent face-to-face trainings at the GNBS. Participants completed the Train the Trainers – Pre- requisite Food Safety Programme, which covered Good Agriculture Practices (GAP), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) & Good Hygienic Practices (GHP).
Building on the foundation on its own ISO 9001 Certification, and the training and experience of its cadre of professionals, the GNBS also provided Quality Management Training on the ISO 9001 Standard to the GFSA.
“The programmes satisfied our training needs for development of the skill sets needed for our Inspectorate staff,” Ms. Moseley added.
She further recommended the GNBS’ training programmes to individuals and companies noting, “The training environment is conducive for teaching /learning, the instructors are technically sound and very competent, the delivery strategy is effective and GNBS is the only certified/authorized National Body to provide Standards and Quality Training in Guyana.”
The GNBS’ Business Development Department helps organisations to achieve their mandates by providing training, and Technical Assistance to improve competence and maintain key Management System Standards and Requirements.
Trainings are offered on various ISO Standards, the National Standard – Requirements for the operations of a laboratory (GYS 170:2021), Internal Auditing, Risk Based Thinking and Data Analysis among others. Businesses and organisations can also take advantage of the GNBS Customised Training and Consultancy programmes. To learn more, visit https://gnbsgy.org/business-development/training/ to view our training catalogue.