Intensified campaigns in anticipation of summer

In anticipation of the food risks-prone summer months; Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority has intensified its monitoring activities across the board, focusing special attention on high risk food outlets. During special campaigns recently in the Western Region and Al Ain, the Authority has issued many warnings to erring food outlets and detected several violations. An inspection campaign in the northern part of Al Ain City covering 64 food outlets resulted in 24 warnings, detection of one violation and destruction of 20.588 kg of food items unfit for human consumption.

Meanwhile, in another inspection campaign focusing on food outlets and kitchens in labor cities in Al Ruwais Al Ghayathi in the Western region, ADFCA has issued 37 warnings and detected one violation. During this campaign, ADFCA inspectors visited 79 outlets. Campaigns will continue in both regions in the days and months to come. Several warnings issued in the Western Region are of a serious and repetitive nature and if non-compliance with rules continues, they will be subjected to punitive closure. "We wanted to give them a little more time to put their act together and bring about full compliance with the rules and regulations. If they turn this leniency on our part into an advantage and rectify the various commissions and omissions, they can continue to function. If not, we will be forced to close down the outlets," said Mohamed Jalal Al Reyaysa, Director of Communication and Community Service at ADFCA.

The campaigns in Al Ain confirmed that a majority of food outlets in and around the city are in full compliance with the food safety rules and regulations. The inspectors also confirmed that most of the outlets had successfully completed the mandatory food safety training for their workers. "We are happy that most of the outlets have nearly completed the training requirements. This is a factor that contributed to the high compliance levels," Al Reyaysa pointed out.

The inspectors paid special attention in the labor cities to the public health situation, inspecting the levels of hygiene in the kitchens and their infrastructural preparedness to cater to the number of workers that they serve food to. 57600 laborers live in the camps in the Al Ruwais and Al Ghayathi, requiring 172800 meals a day.

"We are determined to raise the levels of food safety in labor camps in the emirate. The number of laborers in the emirate is very high. This is a section of our population that deserves special attention and care. We will not allow any negligence in the food being served to them and we are following a zero tolerance policy in this matter. The laborers are a part and parcel of our community and they deserve better," Al Reyaysa stressed. Inspections by ADFCA on cafeterias and restaurants during the year 2011 until the end of April have detected 129 and 28 violations respectively in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. While 2185 warning have been issued during this period in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain restaurants and cafeterias received 244 warnings.