#NSNP contains no processed meats – says department
Parents assured that the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) contains no processed meats.
Following the announcement by Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, which confirmed that scientists had traced the source of the present outbreak of listeriosis to Enterprise Foods facilities and a Rainbow Foods facility, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) has spoken out.
The DBE has reassured parents, learners and members of the public that no processed meat products are used as part of the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP).
The food served to over nine million learners daily as part of the NSNP is safe and excludes polony, vienna sausages and other processed cold meat products.
ALSO READ: WARNING – Metro urges community to avoid ready-to-eat meat in wake of 22 confirmed cases of #Listeriosis in Ekurhuleni
However, the department has urged parents and the greater school community to remain vigilant as these food items often form part of packed lunches or are sold to learners by external food vendors outside of schools or at tuckshops.
Parents are asked to heed the advice from Motsoaledi when preparing lunch boxes for their children to ensure that it contains no food items that may carry listeriosis.
ALSO READ:#WATCH – Community angry, scared and desperate for answers about #Listeriosis
The DBE has also given schools the following advice:
• Volunteer Food Handlers should maintain a high level of personal hygiene and wash hands at all times.
• Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly.
• Ensure safe preparation, cooking, serving of meals and cleaning of the cooking area.
• Learners should wash any fruit bought from the school vendor before consuming it.
• Practice basic food hygiene principles as outlined in the World Health Organisation’s ‘Five Keys to Safer Food’ programme. The core ‘commandments’ of food hygiene are:
• Keep clean: wash your hands before handling food and often during food preparation.
• Separate raw and cooked: separate raw meat, poultry and seafood from other foods.
• Cook thoroughly: cook foods thoroughly, especially meat, poultry, eggs and seafood.
• Keep food at safe temperatures: refrigerate and reheat foods correctly.
• Use safe water and raw materials: use safe water or make it safe (by boiling); choose foods processed for safety such as pasteurised dairy products; wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly, especially if eaten raw.
Finally, the DBE has encouraged teachers and parents to report to the nearest health care facility if learners suffer from any symptoms linked to listeriosis including diarrhoea, headache, neck stiffness, confusion, loss of balance and flu-like symptoms.
The department believes that in instances where children are involved it is better to be safe than sorry as this is a preventable and treatable disease.
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