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.<\/p>\n
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).<\/p>
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>
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.<\/p>\n
The DBE has also given schools the following advice:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Volunteer Food Handlers should maintain a high level of personal hygiene and wash hands at all times.<\/p>\n \u2022 Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly.<\/p>\n \u2022 Ensure safe preparation, cooking, serving of meals and cleaning of the cooking area.<\/p>\n \u2022 Learners should wash any fruit bought from the school vendor before consuming it.<\/p>\n \u2022 Practice basic food hygiene principles as outlined in the World Health Organisation\u2019s \u2018Five Keys to Safer Food\u2019 programme. The core \u2018commandments\u2019 of food hygiene are:<\/p>\n \u2022 Keep clean: wash your hands before handling food and often during food preparation.<\/p>\n \u2022 Separate raw and cooked: separate raw meat, poultry and seafood from other foods.<\/p>\n \u2022 Cook thoroughly: cook foods thoroughly, especially meat, poultry, eggs and seafood.<\/p>\n \u2022 Keep food at safe temperatures: refrigerate and reheat foods correctly.<\/p>\n \u2022 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Have a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za<\/a><\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or\u00a0Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist)\u00a0kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:<\/p>\n Facebook<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Twitter<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n YouTube\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Or add the GCN on\u00a0<\/b><\/span>WhatsApp 079 406 1181<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>today, to get all the latest news.<\/p>\n Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers\u00a0<\/span>Bedfordview Edenvale News<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>Alberton Record<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Kempton Express<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n