Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority launched a comprehensive inspection campaign in the Western Region, covering a number of high risk food establishments in Madinat Zayed, Al Marfa' and Tarif. This was part of the summer campaign that ADFCA has begun last week ahead of the holy month of Ramadan.

The first phase of the campaign in Madinat Zayed covered 19 outlets, including school canteens and resulted in 10 warnings, one violation slip and destruction of 14 KG of food items unfit for consumption. Eight outlets were found fully compliant with rules and regulations. In Al Marfa' and Tarif, nine outlets out of a total of 11 received warnings.

Mohamed Jalal Al Rayssi, Director of Communication and Community Service at ADFCA, said the campaign was focused on four principal aspects, namely, the environs, storing, tools and equipments and practices.  "The environs include the floor, preparation areas, piling of dirt under the preparation areas and behind the refrigerators, insides of the refrigerators, dining tables and others, besides the existence of insects," he explained.

Wrong storing practices included the use of inappropriate containers, reuse of containers in improper ways and lack of hygiene in storing areas, Al Rayssi pointed out. "As for tools and equipment, the inspectors found in some places that the number of air conditioners was inadequate. Absence of foot-operated dustbins near the wash basins, plastic curtains at the main entrance and metal tables for cleaning vegetables was another shortcoming noticed," he added.

Al Rayssi said the wrong practiced noticed by the inspectors during the campaign comprised improper storing of cooked foods, not covering food containers, use of cloth pieces for cleaning instead of paper napkins, storing salads in colored plastic containers instead of steel containers with lids, not operating the insect repellents, keeping dustbins open, refreezing frozen meats and chickens and not cleaning tools after their use.