Importance of Food Hygiene and Health Certificates for Food Handlers

The County Government of Nairobi requires food sellers to pay for a Health Certificate and a Food Hygiene Certificate Permit before conducting business.

The introduction of the two certificates seems to have rubbed traders the wrong way as they alleged to mean the same thing. Question is, is this true? Do these two really mean the same thing? Does it mean that a food vendor only needs a Health Certificate and leave out the other one and vice versa?

A given chicken supplier went to social media frustrated over the same. She wants an explanation on the difference between the two before being allowed to carry out her business smoothly.

Businesses dealing in food production, processing or sale need the two licenses so as to ensure safety and good health of both the person handling food and the environment in which the food is being prepared to prove that it is in good condition for selling.

The Public Health Act provides legislation and supporting structures for food safety management.

The food hygiene license is issued to premises which are periodically inspected by County Health officials which ensures food handlers are free from disease and is valid for six months.

Food vendors and sellers are categorized under the Hospitality sector which consists of several sets of people such as the management, servers and housekeepers, kitchen workers and bar attendants, marketing and facility maintenance team.

Hence, many businesses in the hospitality industry endeavor to keep relevant by ensuring they provide quality services to their clients in Kenya enabling them to keep their currents clients and attract more clients from their competitors.

For these reasons, it is necessary to obtain a Health Certificate which shows that individual is of good health so as to reduce the challenges faced while working in the hospitality industry.

Both the Food Hygiene and Health Certificate permits are issued by the City Council and to be able to obtain them, one undergoes a series of tests first including inspection for contagious bacterial infection in the blood and stool to ensure that the individual does not have any disease that can be spread through the handling of water and foods.

Once adequately convinced that the individual has a clean bill of health, they are issued with the certificates hence cleared fit for duty in the hospitality sector.