Closure is resorted to after repeated warnings and fines, says official

Abu Dhabi, May 11, 2010: Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) has disclosed that 17 food outlets have been closed so far in the current year in different parts of the emirate of Abu Dhabi for consistent non-compliance with food safety rules and regulations and resultant risks to public health.

Of the 17 closures, 15 are in the city of Abu Dhabi and the rest in the Western Region (Al Gharbiya). While the outlets closed in Abu Dhabi include eight restaurants, two refreshments outlets, two cafeterias, one supermarket, one grocery and one food firm, the Western Region saw the closure of one cafeteria and a food establishment.

Commenting on the extreme step of closing food outlets, an official from ADFCA, said that the closure of a food outlet was always preceded by repeated warnings, fines and awareness drives. "When all those efforts fail, we are left with no other option but to order the closure of the outlet that functions in utter disregard for public health and the law of the land. The health and safety of the consumer is the red-line that should not be crossed in any circumstance," he pointed out.

Hatem Iranian Restaurant at Marina Mall was the last to face closure orders on May 6. Qasr Al Ain Cafeteria at Ghayathi in the Western Region was closed in the month of January. Interestingly, the same cafeteria was ordered to close last year too, but was reopened later following compliance with the rules, but only to flout them again in a short period of time. Bin Saif Refreshments at Al Shamikha was the second outlet to face closure orders in the month of January.

Three restaurants were shut down in February - Al Eqab Restaurant and Hadeeqat Al Wahda Restaurant on Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Road and Al Kasir Restaurant on the Abu Dhabi Corniche Road.  Falcom Tib Supermarket and Najm Shiraz Grocery at Musaffa Industrial Area, Burj Al Arab Restaurant at Umm Nar area, Rabeea Restaurant on Zayed 1 Road and Farha Restaruant at Musaffah Economic Zone are the outlets that downed shutters in the month of March. Ramla Trading Company at Musaffah Economic Zone,  National Company for Tourism and Hotels in Al Ruwais in the Western Region, Zahrat Al Samha Cafeteria at Al Samha, Dar Al Khair Refreshments at Umm Al Nar, Maharat Al Khaleej Cafeteria at Al Shamikha and Wahat Madina Al Marah Restaurant at Marina Mall were shut down in April.

The reasons for the closure of the outlets vary from one to another and include unhygienic practices, presence of insects and cockroaches in the kitchen, lack of proper drainage system, mixing different food items in the refrigerator such as meat, fish, vegetables and fruits, lack of proper garbage disposal, not possessing necessary papers from the authorities and so on. "The point to note is that each of these violations is fraught with potential danger to the health of the consumers. Once the closed outlets make amends and rectify the shortcomings, the reopening of the outlets can be considered," concluded the official.