Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 426
GENERAL INTEREST PAPER
Strengthening the Mauritius Food Control System
for Enhanced Public Health and Life Protection
Badroonesha Aumjaud
Food Scientist & Former Academic of the University of Mauritius, 8, Avenue des Jacarandas, Quatre-Bornes, Mauritius
SUMMARY
Reflections on future actions that could be used to
promote effectiveness and sustainability of the national
food control system in Mauritius are presented by drawing
on professional experiences at the University of Mauritius
and participation at the International Association for Food
Protection 2023 European Symposium on Food Safety.
OVERVIEW
Strengthening national food control systems is strategic
priority 1 of the World Health Organization global strategy
for food safety (45). A food control system is defined as
" ... the integration of a mandatory regulatory approach
with preventive and educational strategies to protect the
whole food chain " (8). Figure 1 presents a visual summary
of the building blocks of a national food control system
in accordance with Food and Agriculture Organization,
World Health Organization international guidelines (8).
Food laws and regulations provide the legal framework for
implementation of food control activities to ensure food
safety, food quality, food security, and economic growth as
well as fair domestic, regional, and international trade.
2022, repealing the previous act of 1998, and the new
Mauritius Food Standards Agency Act 2022 (10, 25).
These legal texts will come into operation on a date to be
fixed by proclamation (25). The objective of the Food Act
2022 explicitly addresses " safety and nutritional quality
of food " (7), thereby steering the national food control
system toward safe and nutritious food for all. Secondary
legislation, namely the Food Regulations 1999, is currently
being revised to update the requirements in line with
international Codex standards and introduce mandatory
hazard analysis [and] critical control point (HACCP)
systems for specific food operations, namely, milk, meat,
and fish processing, as well as water bottling (26). Codex
activities in Mauritius are coordinated by the Codex
Contact Point under the aegis of the Ministry of AgroIndustry
and Food Security. Stakeholders participate in
Codex standards setting through representatives on the
National Codex Committee (27).
Food control management
Several authorities are involved in administration and
enforcement of food and related laws in Mauritius. The
Ministry of Health and Wellness has responsibility for
enforcement of the Food Act and Food Regulations (1, 30).
Previous research has reported the need for the development
of a national food control agency (36) to overcome the
gaps and overlaps of a multiple-agency system (8) as
highlighted in Figure 2. Most recently, the adoption of the
Mauritius Food Standards Agency Act 2022 demonstrates
the government's commitment to improve effectiveness
and efficiency of food control activities, thereby aiming to
achieve a high degree of consumer confidence in the safety
and nutritional quality of food (24). It provides for the
establishment of a corporate body to direct and manage an
integrated national food control system (Figure 2).
The Mauritius Food Standards Agency will play a leading
Figure 1. Building blocks of a national food control system.
Mauritius is a small island located off the coast of East
Africa with an upper-middle income economy (28).
Recent milestones in the history of the country's primary
food legislation include the adoption of the Food Act
*
Author for correspondence. Phone: +230.54907172; Email: baumjaud@gmail.com
426 Food Protection Trends September/October
role in food safety risk assessment, management, and
communication. It will be required to provide scientific
advice and technical support to the minister concerned
in matters of policy and rules that affect food safety and
nutrition (24). Policy setting involves articulation of a
food control strategy that fosters an integrated approach
to address interlinked food safety and nutrition priorities
within the prevailing and emerging ecosystem (31, 37).
Codex principles and guidelines provide practical guidance
https://www.foodprotection.org/files/food-protection-trends/sep-oct-23-aumjaud.pdf
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023
Salmonella Prevalence is Low in Deep Tissue Lymph Nodes of Hog Carcasses from a Pork Processing Plant in Alberta, Canada
Combined Effects of Sanitizers and UV-C Light on Listeria monocytogenes Biofilm Growth and Survivability on Produce-Harvesting Materials Used in the Tree Fruit Production Industry
Identifying Predictors of Safe Food Handling Practices among Canadian Households with Children Under Eighteen Years
Cleaning and Sanitizing in Produce Facilities: Identifying Compliance Gaps and Associated Training Needs, Opportunities and Preferences
Beyond the Bio Tori Stivers
PDG Highlight Low-Water Activity Foods PDG
General Interest Strengthening the Mauritius Food Control System for Enhanced Public Health and Life Protection
Industry Products
Coming Events
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - Cover1
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - Cover2
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 369
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 370
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 371
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 372
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 373
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 374
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 375
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - Combined Effects of Sanitizers and UV-C Light on Listeria monocytogenes Biofilm Growth and Survivability on Produce-Harvesting Materials Used in the Tree Fruit Production Industry
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 377
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 378
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 379
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 380
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 381
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 382
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - Salmonella Prevalence is Low in Deep Tissue Lymph Nodes of Hog Carcasses from a Pork Processing Plant in Alberta, Canada
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 384
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 385
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 386
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 387
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 388
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 389
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 390
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - Identifying Predictors of Safe Food Handling Practices among Canadian Households with Children Under Eighteen Years
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 392
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 393
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 394
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 395
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 396
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 397
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 398
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 399
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 400
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 401
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 402
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 403
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 404
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 405
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 406
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 407
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 408
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - Cleaning and Sanitizing in Produce Facilities: Identifying Compliance Gaps and Associated Training Needs, Opportunities and Preferences
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 410
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 411
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 412
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 413
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 414
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 415
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 416
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 417
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 418
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 419
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - Beyond the Bio Tori Stivers
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 421
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 422
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - PDG Highlight Low-Water Activity Foods PDG
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 424
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 425
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - General Interest Strengthening the Mauritius Food Control System for Enhanced Public Health and Life Protection
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 427
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 428
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 429
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 430
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 431
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - Industry Products
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 433
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 434
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 435
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 436
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 437
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 438
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - 439
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - Coming Events
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - Cover3
Food Protection Trends - September/October 2023 - Cover4
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