The Correctional Service Solomon Islands (CSSI) Dietetics & Nutrition department is working to improve inmates’ menu and local food suppliers.
Dietetics & Nutrition Officer and Dietetics Counseling Officer Ms Stacy Kofela revealed this during a recent presentation to CSSI executive, a statement from CSSI Media Unit said.
Ms Kofela explained the standardised menu are formulated to tackle such issues and prevent food wastages, unbalanced meals and reduction of non-communicable disease (NCD) in Correctional Centres.
The standardised menu specifies the exact amount of ingredients, equipment’s and preparation method needed.
Their mandated objectives are to formulate weekly standardized menu for general and special diet inmates, provide a high quality of nutritional and appetizing meals that meets inmates’ nutritional and energy requirements, determine the number of food items to order from suppliers as well as the amount issued to inmates, conduct awareness on food specifications to suppliers, establish quality control on perishable goods received in order to minimize food wastage, decrease the number of NCD cases within Correctional Centres and prevent new cases of NCDs from occurring within Correctional Centres, said Ms Kofela.
However, Dietetics Counselling Officer Ms Maria Bako also highlighted to the executives the benefits of the standardised menu for inmates, are constant quality, constant quantity & predictable yield, fewer errors in food orders, food cost & budget control, consistent nutritional content and time & scheduling efficiency.
“The food you eat can either be the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison, choose healthily, eat wisely and live longer,” said Bako.
Meanwhile, CSSI Commissioner Gabriel Manelusi accentuated that every inmate should be provided by the administration at the usual hours with food of nutritional value adequate for health and strength, of wholesome quality and well prepared and served.
He commended the two dieticians for the service of dietetics & nutrition food chain assessments and also in accordance with the United Nation Minimum Standard for Treatment of Prisoners and Mandela Rule 35.
