Interview with Yousouf Gaungoo, Principal Public Health and Food Safety Inspector and Regional Health Officer in Mauritius, and government coordinator for the EU-funded project “Strengthening food control and phytosanitary capacities and governance.”
We sat down with Yousouf Gaungoo, Principal Public Health and Food Safety Inspector and Regional Health Officer in Mauritius, and government coordinator for the EU-funded project “Strengthening food control and phytosanitary capacities and governance.” We wanted to learn more about him and how he got involved in food safety. We also wanted to gain a better understanding of the food control system in Mauritius and how he saw the project potentially impacting the system and food safety in his country.
Can you tell us about yourself? About your background, where you are from and how you got involved in food safety?
I joined the Ministry of Health and Wellness as a trainee in the Public Health and Food Safety Inspectorate Division straight from school in 1989. I worked my way up the organization and after over thirty years, and a Master’s degree from the University of Melbourne, I was appointed as Principal Public Health and Food Safety Inspector and Regional Health Officer.
In 2017 I was involved in updating Mauritius’s Food Act and Food Regulations. The 2022 Food Act was voted in July 2022 by our National Assembly and the 2023 Food Regulations is in the final stage of drafting. I was also involved in setting up the Mauritius Food Standards Agency, a statutory body under the aegis of the Ministry of Health and Wellness whose Board has been meeting regularly since April 2023.
I am also currently the Officer-in-Charge of the Mauritius Food Standards Agency.
How did you get involved with FAO specifically and FAO’s “Strengthening food control and phytosanitary capacities and governance” project?
In July 2022 the FAO contacted me about the project “Strengthening food control and phytosanitary capacities and governance”. The FAO team described the project and the methodology of the assessment and I was immediately interested especially because it was exactly what the government was looking for. Our food control system was undergoing a transition. We were updating our food legislations and setting up the Mauritius Food Standards Agency to improve food safety and harmonise our food legislations regionally and internationally. Without hesitation we applied to the project to receive technical assistance in assessing our food control system which is also one of the mandatory functions of the Mauritius Food Standards Agency.
Can you tell us a little bit about the food control situation in Mauritius? In your experience, what are the strengths of the food control system and what are the areas that need more work?
Regulatory Authorities
In Mauritius, the Ministry of Health and Wellness oversees and regulates food business operators through a total of 13 regional offices and two border control units of the Public Health and Food Safety Inspectorate which are spread across the country.
It has adopted national standards based on international guidelines. Its new Food Act and Food Regulations have been elaborated and will come into force next year with the goal of improving food safety and harmonising food legislations regionally and internationally to improve trade.
The Public Health and Food Safety Inspectorate regularly carries out inspections to guarantee food safety at the national level and to ensure compliance with the food legislations. The same agency conducts market surveillance which involves regular inspections of food and of the premises where they are manufactured.
With more than 70% of our food being imported, controls are in place at the port and airport and regular inspections are carried out by the Public Health and Food Safety Inspectorate to ensure compliance with the food legislation.
To raise awareness and increase knowledge about food safety, public awareness campaigns and educational programs are implemented through the media and in face-to-face sessions by the Public Health and Food Safety Inspectorate.
A traceability system is in place to quickly identify and address any issues related to food safety. In fact, it is mandatory for pre-packed food to have a label showing the date of manufacture or lot identification, printed on the label or embossed on the container.
Our strengths rely on the fact that we do possess the different components of the food control system as well as the necessary resources for the system to function.
However, there is a lack of coordination among the competent authorities as often they work in silos. Furthermore, documentation of our activities and data generated is insufficient to adequately inform decision making.
The Mauritius Food Standards Agency is addressing these shortcomings. It has a mandatory function to liaise with all the competent authorities in charge of food safety and quality which includes data management and analysis.
Can you walk us through the process of the assessment, from how it started until the end last month?
It all started with an agreement in 2022 between the Government of Mauritius and FAO to work together on the food control system assessment under the EU-funded project.
A food control country profile of Mauritius was developed which was followed by a week-long training of focal points nominated by relevant food control competent authorities. The focal points were trained on the data collection process that they carried out from March to June 2023. The FAO assessment team processed the data and information, and verified and complemented it during a validation mission in Mauritius. An assessment report was developed and then reviewed during a three-day strategic workshop held in October 2023. During this workshop key stakeholders agreed on a number of priority recommendations and developed a strategic action plan, which is currently being costed, to implement those recommendations.
What was it like to work with the FAO team on the assessment process?
Working with the FAO team was a real pleasure. It is a well-organized team. Giovanna, Dennis, David and Faizal did very good work during the entire assessment process. Giovanna was excellent also in the planning process of every project event. Dennis and David worked well together to train the focal points, engage them in the process and motivate them throughout the challenges of the data collection process. Last, but not least, Faizal did a fabulous job doing the groundwork and collecting information on the field for the team, the whole time staying in touch with the focal points to ensure that the timeline of the project was respected. In summary, the assessment process was a success thanks to the teamwork that prevailed.
Would you have changed anything?
The FAO team did a good job and in general I am very satisfied. It is the first time that I am working with FAO and it has been a pleasure. However, I think there is room for improvement in the logistic support at local level, specifically in identifying a venue for the workshop with time.
What do you think it was like for the focal points to take part in the assessment process?
The focal points took part in the assessment process submitting data and information necessary to capture the unique challenges, assets and priorities of our food control system. The amount of information that the focal points collected and their involvement with the project was directly associated with their level of involvement in the food control system in general. The Public Health and Food Safety Inspectorate of the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the leading organisation in the food control system, provided the information and data promptly, showing tangible demonstration of their strong interest in the process.
Now that the results of the assessment have come out, what do you think the next steps will be for the food control system in Mauritius?
The report is being finalized based on discussions and reviews that took place during the three-day strategic workshop in October.
One of the mandatory functions of the Mauritius Food Standards Agency is to test our food control system. This has already been done. The next step will be for the Ministry to approve and implement the recommendations. The implementation of most of the recommendations will be led by the Mauritius Food Standards Agency as most of them, including drafting the national food safety policy and a strategic plan, fall under its mandatory functions.
Our objective is to make this project successful so that we can be considered as champions of the approach within the African continent and advance food safety as well as trade in the region.
Are there any other points you would like to make?
This is the first time that we work with FAO. I must point out that the main competent authority responsible for food safety in Mauritius is the Ministry of Health and Wellness. We look forward to more collaborations between the FAO and the Ministry of Health and Wellness in food safety.