Roy McNeil, director and chief food storage officer of the FSPID, said the programme, which started in May 2008, aimed to ensure that the operations of food establishments, including restaurants and distribution outlets such as supermarkets and wholesales, which meet the requisite standards stipulated under the Food Storage and Prevention of Infestation Act, are formally certified.

The process of certification will also serve to guide the public to the establishments which have complied with the stipulations, and whose products individuals can take comfort in consuming, thereby safeguarding their health and welfare. The list of establishments certified is posted on the agency's website at www.fspid.gov.jm.

Vigilant monitoring

According to McNeil, the programme is advanced, with over 500 establishments in Montego Bay, St James, St Ann and Kingston, visited by the division's inspectors between May and November last year. He added that the exercise, which will continue in earnest this year, would be an on-going one of vigilant monitoring.

While the inspection and mon-itoring of food establishments has been a part of the FSPID's activities over its 50-year existence, certification is a new feature.

Prior to the process of certification, the proprietors of establishments inspected by the FSPID were issued with letters outlining their compliance status.

"We have always been monitoring food establishments. However, we were not certifying them, and this (certification) came as a result of public demand, (persons) wanting to find out which food establishments are safe to consume products from. So we see it as a way of saying to the public, 'these (certified) establish-ments have been monitored, they are in compliance with the law, and they are safe for food storage or for you to purchase food for consumption,' " said McNeil.

- JIS