Photolure
Artur Varzhapetyan (left), Abgar Yeghoyan
Monitoring held at canteens of schools and kindergartens of Yerevan and provinces of Armenia by Protection of Consumer Rights (PCR) NGO and the Ministry of Agriculture of Armenia, revealed numerous violations of food safety procedures.
The monitoring started in late 2009 and concluded at the end of May, during which 442 canteens were checked, and violations were registered in 377.
Artur Varzhapetyan, Head of the Food Safety Department of the Agriculture Ministry of Armenia, says that the main violations were sales of food not having a certificate of compliance, improperly processed food of unknown origin, expired and counterfeit food products, as well as violations connected with inappropriate temperature and improper hygienic conditions.
“The Ministry of Agriculture reprimanded all incidents and ordered that conditions be brought to proper standard,” Varzhapetyan says.
Cases of food poisoning have been registered in kindergartens. For example, an outbreak last year in Sisian, Syunik province, created a clamor when 25 children were hospitalized, and a criminal case was filed against those who were in charge.
According to PCR Head Abgar Yeghoyan, by means of fining all the kindergartens and schools where violations have been registered, the issue cannot be solved, because in this case they would have to “fine everyone across the board.”
“It would be more correct to inform [students’] parents that in case of coming across violations they must report it, as well as to educate canteen employees,” Yeghoyan says.
PCR is planning to hold two seminars on food security for employees of Yerevan schools canteens this year.
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