NUTRITION AND SANITATION: THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD FOR FOODPRODUCTS AND ITS IMPLICATION TO THE PRACTICESOF STREET VENDORS IN HANDLING FOOD PRODUCTS
NUTRITION AND SANITATION: THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD FOR FOODPRODUCTS AND ITS IMPLICATION TO THE PRACTICESOF STREET VENDORS IN HANDLING FOOD PRODUCTS
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND
Nutrition also called nourishment or aliment is the provision, tocellsand organisms, of the materialsnecessary, in the form of food to supportlife(www.wikipedia.org) Many common health problems can be preventedor alleviated with ahealthy diet. Nutrition is an input to and foundation for health and development. Better nutritionmeans stronger immune systems, less illness and better health. It is a prime entry point to ending poverty and amilestone to achieving better quality of life. Without proper nutrition malnutrition can occur, due to inadequate intakeof protein, energy, and micronutrients such as vitamins (WHO, 2001).To promote adequate nutrition, food safety in the Philippines has received increasing attention due to anumber of factors. First, a respectable proportion of the food establishments are of the small and medium scale,where strict implementation of food safety regulations is wanting. Second, poverty remains a major factor to reckonwith, and consequently results to low literacy on food safety, especially in the rural areas. Third, consumers enjoywider choices and lower prices under a more liberalized trade regime but are usually not so knowledgeable on theproduction, storage and handling processes of the available commodities. Fourth, the changing lifestyle of manyFilipinos has forced them to rely on cooked foods which are questionable in terms of their cleanliness. Nowadays,food handlers are definitely observable in their food handling mismanagement, because of this, laws wereimplemented so that entrepreneurs/ vendors would ensure that the public’s concerns on food security and safetyare acknowledged and responded to.Today, the policy framework and implementing guidelines for food safety and hygiene in the country arenow in place. Sanitation has been gaining
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND
Nutrition also called nourishment or aliment is the provision, tocellsand organisms, of the materialsnecessary, in the form of food to supportlife(www.wikipedia.org) Many common health problems can be preventedor alleviated with ahealthy diet. Nutrition is an input to and foundation for health and development. Better nutritionmeans stronger immune systems, less illness and better health. It is a prime entry point to ending poverty and amilestone to achieving better quality of life. Without proper nutrition malnutrition can occur, due to inadequate intakeof protein, energy, and micronutrients such as vitamins (WHO, 2001).To promote adequate nutrition, food safety in the Philippines has received increasing attention due to anumber of factors. First, a respectable proportion of the food establishments are of the small and medium scale,where strict implementation of food safety regulations is wanting. Second, poverty remains a major factor to reckonwith, and consequently results to low literacy on food safety, especially in the rural areas. Third, consumers enjoywider choices and lower prices under a more liberalized trade regime but are usually not so knowledgeable on theproduction, storage and handling processes of the available commodities. Fourth, the changing lifestyle of manyFilipinos has forced them to rely on cooked foods which are questionable in terms of their cleanliness. Nowadays,food handlers are definitely observable in their food handling mismanagement, because of this, laws wereimplemented so that entrepreneurs/ vendors would ensure that the public’s concerns on food security and safetyare acknowledged and responded to.Today, the policy framework and implementing guidelines for food safety and hygiene in the country arenow in place. Sanitation has been gaining