MOH organize a workshop for school canteen operators in collaboration with school health section at the ministry of Education

Within the framework of joint collaboration and coordination between the ministry of Health and ministry of Education, food section at MOH organized a workshop for school cafeteria operators in collaboration with school health section of students service department at the ministry of Education and Food Control Unit at the ministry of Health. The workshop was held at the factory of Delmon bakery located in Hidd industrial area and it targeted the team work responsible for the preparation and supervision over daily food preparation for school canteens. 

Dr. Buthaina Ajlan, Chief of Food section at Public Health directorate stated that the main purpose of conducting this workshop is to enhance the food prepared in school canteens quantity and quality wise, by assisting canteens’ operators to prepare healthy food and introduce them with the nutrition requirement and standards for making the food and beverages provided to student through the canteens. Ajlan also noted that the food list is regularly updated, as she emphasized on the importance of getting reviews and opinions from students and the possibility of direct collaboration between operators and food section and food control unit at Public health directorate, to discuss the best kind of food to be prepared and how to serve it in these canteens to ensure its safety. 

It worth mentioning that this workshop is a follow up on the  first stage of the program that was launched last April 2018  in collaboration with the ministry of Education.  

Dr. Ajlan noted that the results indicate that the overall commitment of operator to the standards are considerably good. however,  There were some simple notes regarding the quantity of stuffing in comparison with the size of the sandwich, thickness of the dough in comparison with the stuffing, the quantity of vegetable in stuffing and the high percentage of oil in some of the served sandwiches. 

The company expressed her readiness to cooperate with the ministry of healt hand ministry of Education to enhance the quality of food and come up with ways to encourage students to consume more vegetables and fruit, by preparing healthy food. 

Chef. Areej Matooq, who is famous for her creativity in preparing healthy recipes for children participated in this workshop to share her opinions about  used ingredients and cooking methods, and she praised the role of the two ministries in students nutrition in schools. 

The workshops will include central kitchens for all school canteens operators starting from this month and they are; Aljameea Catering Co., Mansouri Catering Co., Almarzooq Bakery, Bahrain Fosco Co. and Gulf Catering Co.