Be careful of food you buy in shops

CONSUMERS should be vigilant of the food they buy in order to protect their health and not waste money, a food inspector in Lae says.
Lae City Council’s Food Inspection and Safety Monitoring Unit senior environmental health officer Timothy Idafit told The National that many people bought cooked food and products at shops and food bars without checking the contents.
“It should be a habit for people to check whether the food they are going to buy is good and fit for consumption,” Idafit said.
“The moment you see the product, it must be good.
“If you are suspicious about the product, or you think that it won’t be good for whatever reason, don’t buy it.”
He said examples of bad food products were those had insects in them or that had been kept for long periods before finally being sold.
Idafit said on average, the Food Inspection and Safety Monitoring Unit received three complaints a day, and more than 50 a month.
There were several cases of food poisoning. He said most complaints centred on flour bags, bakery products, fresh meat, ice cream, sausages, cooking oil, rice, sheep tongue and boiled eggs.
Idafit said most of the complaints were for take-away food from ‘kai bars’, and most of the complainants were from the rural areas passing through the city.
“Many mothers complain of products that they buy at shops owned by foreigners, it is either cooked food or bakery products,” Idafit said.
Idafit said the unit would educate consumers on the Food Sanitation Act 1991 and Food Sanitation Regulation 2007 so they were aware of their rights.