Plans to move restaurant inspections from the oversight of the health ministry to agriculture have raised concerns from environmental inspectors.
Joseph Camilleri, president of the Malta Environmental Health Officers Association (MEHOA), said the proposed change could undermine the quality of food health inspections.
“I am afraid that standards could decline and, if they do, so will environmental health,” he said.
Last year, the Environmental Health Directorate closed 112 eating establishments over public health infringements following 2,700 inspections.
Government sources claimed that no final decision on the move has been made but added that some plans are in action.
Those plans include moving food safety oversight from the Environmental Health Directorate, which is part of the health ministry, to the Food Agency, an entity under the agriculture ministry, the sources said.
Whatever the change, anything related to human health will still heavily involve health authorities, sources told Times of Malta.
But Camilleri is not convinced.
“What we are worried about is the professionalism of the occupation,” he said.
The job of the environmental health officer (EHO) is to inspect, monitor and control any issues related to environmental health. They also have the power to issue fines and take legal action.
“Two-thirds of our work is related to food,” Camilleri said.
“For example, if there is a disease that is suspected to have originated at a restaurant, it will be health that takes the lead,” he said.
“Right now, you need a degree in environmental health before you get a warrant,” he said. Many of the 80 or so EHOs also have a master’s degree, he said.
Besides inspecting eateries, environmental health officers audit eating establishments and investigate food poisoning cases and other complaints.
They also oversee imported food and are responsible for recalling unsafe products.
In addition to food, they perform controls related to bathing water, tobacco control, tattoo clinics and body piercing.