Speaker from Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Science Research Specialist II April Rose Serdoncillo giving lecture on Personal Hygiene to the first batch of Participants from PSO and RPCO. (Photo by Gian Enrique, PSO Min)

Food Safety on agri-enterprise stressed

Date Published: November 8, 2018

Davao City – The Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rural Development Project Mindanao conducted the Food Safety Management System training to ensure that all agri-enterprise related to food production will be compliant to standards.

Post-harvest processing for consumable goods are susceptible to foodborne related diseases or illnesses caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites that may lead to food contamination. This problem is usually associated with lack of food control system and proper food handling.

With the country’s existing laws on ensuring food quality like “Food Safety Act of 2013”, the Department of Agriculture is included in the mandate to monitor and ensure that the relevant requirements of the law are complied by the farmers, fisherfolks, cooperatives, and business operators.

“This training is very important to us as project implementer because we are the one who assist our farmers and cooperatives in their post-harvest processing. I hope that all the things we learned during the five-day training will be also shared to our partners. Spread the word and let’s teach them the proper way of food handling,” said SES Unit Head Arnel Arreglado.  

Participants being introduced to luminometer, an instrument which is being used to evaluate the surface cleanliness by measuring the residual amounts of the chemical marker adenosine triphosphate (ATP) . (Photo by Gian Enrique, PSO Min)

Currently, PRDP has  a total of 97 enterprise development subprojects where 24 of these falls under the segment of food processing project such as Cacao and Tablea Processing, Banana Chips, Virgin Coconut Oil, Coco Sugar, Green Coffee, and Dairy Processing.

Participants were oriented on Hazard Analysis and Critical Points (HACCP) and Good Manufacturing Practices; food processing framework, Standard Operation Procedure, Monitoring Food Safety Performance, Risk Based Inspection and Reporting, relevant Laws and Regulations related to food safety; and guidelines in conducting food safety monitoring and audit.

Initiated by the Social and Environmental Safeguards Unit in cooperation with Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region 11, the training was participated in by technical personnel of Project Support Office and Regional Project Coordination Office.

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