Food is the necessity to human life, and so hygienic food preparation is closely related to public health. It is estimated by WHO that as many as 22 million people in the world are killed by diarrhea diseases through food/water-borne transmission every year. As far as Macau is concerned, it is also reported that food-borne disease outbreaks (collective food poisoning) are the most common public health related outburst cases. Since unsafe food can lead to number of acute and lifelong diseases, to ensure food safety in our daily life against existing or potential hazards from foodstuff or related products is essential. For this purpose, a variety of control methods and measures is needed.

In order to enhance awareness of hygienic food preparation and food safety among students, as invited by Kiang Wu Nursing College of Macau, the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau of Macao SAR government (IACM), represented by Senior Technician Lai Lok Ian from Department of Food and Animal Inspection and Control, gave a theme talk on the topic of “Ensuring food safety and health”at the Lecture Theatre 1 of KWNC on March 4, 2011. The convocation, hosted by KWNC Lecturer Selwynne Cheong, Student Lou Iun Teng and Wong Sin Ha, had attracted about two hundred teachers and students. Also attended the meeting was Senior Technician Loh Wan Yin from the same Department.

Food hygiene control is within the scope of public health. One of the government’s missions is to set up and maintain a perfect food hygiene control system. In Macau, the food control system is divided into different links respectively under supervision of relevant departments, such as IACM, DSE, DST, SA, CC, DSSOPT, SS, etc. The sections under IACM administration include water sources and public water supplies, animals and plants especially domestic animals and fowls’ raising, quarantine, slaughter, transportation and sales; inspection and quarantine of animals/plants source foodstuff, slaughtering house, marketplace, fairs, peddlers catering, etc. The Department of Food and Animal Inspection and Control of IACM is mainly responsible for animal supervision, quality of foods and administration of markets and peddlers/hawkers, etc. aiming to guarantee and maintain as well as to improve and optimize the quality of life among the local residents.

Ms. Lai also made a brief presentation on the functions of a number of subsidiary divisions under the Department of Food and Animal Inspection and Control, how it monitors and inspects the quality of animal source foods or fresh foods, hygiene condition of food storage and vending sites. Besides, hygienic inspection to the animal storage venues and means of animal transportation, supervision on the operation of Macau Slaughter House Ltd. and the wholesale markets, organizing consumer right protection activities as well as peddler/hawker licensing and administration, etc. are all within the scope of duties of these IACM units.

Ms. Lai emphasized that the food hygiene and safety protection all depends on the tight collaboration between the government and the dealers and residents. The government may protect consumers from any food-related frauds or illegal deeds through quarantine and supervision system. Meanwhile, the food dealers should play well their roles trying to lessen any possible food-related risk to ensure food safety. For residents, neither sense of self-protection nor awareness of food hazards should be neglected. In interaction session, the IACM representative also discussed with students on many issues about the Food Safety Centre, sanitary conditions of restaurants, nutrition fact label, safe guarantee of food from import sources, quarantine and safety of canned foods or packaged foodstuff, etc.

The faculty and students had a thorough understanding on food hygiene and safety protection through the theme talk seminar. As nursing staff, they got to realize that one can always play an active role in health promotion and advocate activities, conveying to the citizens about various measures and policies involving healthy catering, personal hygiene and disease prevention. It is our common goal to enhance the quality of food in Macau to ensure food safety, finally to create and maintain a good living circumstance for all of us.

President Van presents a souvenir to Ms. Lai Lok Ian

　　President Van presents a souvenir to Ms. Loh Wan Yin