ADFCA in tandem with Health Authority Focus on Hospital Kitchens

Abu Dhabi, February 3, 2011: An initiative taken by Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority in association with the Abu Dhabi Health Authority and implemented over the past one year has led to the food safety scenario in hospital canteens, especially in regard to the implementation of hygienic practices, in the emirate improving by 60%.

The initiative, launched in May last year at hospital canteens in both the public and private sectors as part of a special campaign, was aimed at ensuring that kitchens in the hospitals complied fully with the Authority's safety and hygiene regulation.

All the hospital kitchens have now been issued certificates by the Authority, following repeated field visits by food inspectors over the past several months to hospitals in the private and public sectors. The authority has put the success rate of the implantation of the risk-based food safety regulations at 66.7%, while 91.40% of food handlers in these kitchens underwent training in the food safety practices enforced. These efforts resulted in a 60% improvement, overall, in the food safety situation in hospital kitchens.

Mohamed Jalal Al Reyaysa, Director of Communication and Community Service at ADFCA, said the Authority was consistently trying to make sure there were no safety violations in hospital kitchens. "School and hospital canteens are two places we focus special attention on because of the critical nature of consequences that can result from food safety violations in these. We are thankful to the Health Authority for its cooperation and support in our efforts," he added.