SEVERAL local authorities nationwide are actively involved in food hygiene training initiatives as part of broader efforts to improve public health and safety.

These programmes aim to equip individuals and businesses with the necessary knowledge and skills to prevent food-borne illnesses.

The training covers topics such as safe food handling, hygiene practices, and proper sanitation.

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Grootfontein Municipality spokesperson Luke Salomo says street vendors, especially those trading at the town's central business district and informal settlements, are the biggest contributors to poor hygiene as they carelessly dispose of waste in their trading environment.

"This morning the department of environmental health started conducting health training for the street vendors and hawkers, aimed at educating informal vendors and hawkers on how to keep their environment and the town clean," he says.

He urges the public to practise good hygiene, saying it is a collective effort.

He says the Grootfontein council is in the process of taking drastic measures to implement municipal bylaws.

Last Thursday, Omuthiya health inspectors conducted a food handlers training session for staff from various food outlets within the town.

The town's spokesperson, Martha Andreas, said the training aimed to educate food handlers on proper hygiene practices and to protect consumers from food-borne illnesses.

"All participants were awarded certificates in recognition of their participation and commitment to maintaining food safety standards," she said.

Fourteen participants from various food processing entities at Okahao were also trained on food handling protocols, and were awarded certificates of participation.

Mpingana Iipinge, a local Okahao vendor applauded the town council for the initiative.

"I was not part of the vendors who recently completed their food handling training, but as a vendor I think it is crucial that we all have the basic knowledge of how to handle food that we sell to our customers.

"Sometimes we are the ones contributing to littering because some vendors just dispose of their waste anywhere without thinking about the environment and the customers that we serve," she said.