Milk from a healthy cow is cheap, safe and nutritious

D. C. de Silva, Kahawa special correspondent

COLOMBO: Surveys on child health for the past decade shows all too clearly that it is becoming more risky to ignore the impact of health, wellbeing and nutrition when making food policy. Ayesha Loku Balasuriya, maternity and child medical expert, stressed in a survey.

In view of that, Education Department has taken steps to make a food policy concerning the sale of foods and drinks in school canteens.

Most of the food items on sale in schools are excellent growth mediums for numerous bacteria, reports reveal.

As to an act to prohibit sale of cool drinks and oily kinds of foods as cutlets, rolls will not be allowed to bring into school canteens for sale. Milk from a healthy cow initially is a safe and nutritious drink. It contaminates just because of unsafe procedures in handling milk when processing for consumption.

The survey conducted on consuming cool drinks and oily foods in school canteens reveals many adverse affects on children engaging in the bad habit. The study was conducted by Health department responding to a request by the School Health Section of the Education Department.

The study was conducted by maternity and Child medical expert Ayesha Loku Balasuriya, and she reported that each 9 cases of cool drink placed in school canteens contained seven tea-spoonfuls of sugar which is harmful for children's health.

Consequently, she had recommended a total ban on the sale of cool drinks in school canteens as it is harmful for children. Instead of cool drinks and oily foods, she had recommended selling cereals in school canteens, the report revealed.

The report submitted by Ayesha Lokubalasuriya to the health section of the education department will be subjected for cabinet approval in order to be implemented, CDN understood.