NHLDS Benchmarking Visit at Harris International

Ttula-Kawempe - 8 Sept 2023

The leadership of NHLDS, led by Dr. Susan Nabadda, recently embarked on a benchmarking journey to the renowned Harris International food certification laboratory. The visit aimed to explore valuable insights into food production processes and innovative waste management systems. Dr. Isaac Ssewanyana, Director of Laboratory Services at NHLDS, shed light on the significance of this excursion.

"We have a lot of fortified foods consumed in the community, so the NHLDS is benchmarking with the Harris International food certification laboratory to learn more. But also, to identify the gaps that the laboratory can fill in supporting food producers in addressing community deficiencies from fortified foods they produce," Dr. Ssewanyana.

While emphasizing the importance of comprehensive food safety measures, he added,

"If a company is engaged in fortification, we are aware that UNBS checks the standards at the production level. However, along the food value chain, there could be complacency. We aim to deliver the last-mile checks at the household level to ensure that the quality obtained at the factory level maintains its integrity throughout the distribution process."

Furthermore, Dr. Ssewanyana expressed that NHLDS is also committed to identifying food contaminants, particularly viral contaminants that can lead to food poisoning within the consuming communities. He mentioned that the management of NHLDS is in the early stages of establishing a laboratory for the above purpose, and the benchmarking visit to Harris International exemplifies their dedication to learning from industry leaders.

"Choosing Harris International as our benchmarking partner is already a testament to their status as a top-quality laboratory. We aspire to learn from the best in the field," he concluded.