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A day�s training programme was on Friday organised for Traditional Caterers within the Ashaiman Municipality. Organised jointly by the Food and Drugs Board (FDB), and the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly, the workshop aimed among others, to educate the participants on the basic principles in the selection and purchase of raw materials and ingredients, and the principles to be applied during the transportation, storage and preservation of those items. Speaking at the function, Mrs. Maria Lovelace-Johnson, Head of the Food Safety Management Unit at the FDB, advised caterers to choose suppliers �who sell in clean surroundings, away from public refuse dumps, rubbish heaps, public toilets, animal pens, dustbins and uneven grounds that can hold stagnant water in the rainy season�. On hygienic conditions for storing food products, she advised the participants to keep storage facilities and shelves clean, and to keep products in clean containers served on clean tables and shelves. On food preparation environment, Mrs Lovelace-Johnson urged vendors to endeavour to keep food contamination to the minimum, by ensuring that they were prepared in a clean and well lit area, shattered from sun, dust and wind. She urged street food sellers to ensure that their displayed food was covered and protected from contamination, while trying to avoid the presence of domestic animals and potentially dangerous objects. Touching on Pest Control, the Head of Food Safety Management Unit, advised that food preparation and vending sites should be constantly kept clean, and in good condition, in order to eliminate potential breeding grounds. She warned that food and water that were likely to attract pests should be placed in sealed containers and properly stored in a clean place. On Waste Management, Mrs Lovelace-Johnson advised vendors to desist from throwing food waste onto the ground, since that attracted insects, rodents and animals. She asked food handlers to refrain from all unhygienic practices, especially tasting food directly from the ladle, and dishing of food with bear hands. Mrs Lovelace-Johnson also urged them to ensure that apart from keeping food transport vehicles clean, they should not be used for carrying animals and other contaminants, unless fitted with separate compartments.