(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Hotels restaurants and cafeterias in Dubai are graded A B C D or E based on the results of the inspections done by the municipality.
The Dubai Municipality plans to shut down food outlets that do not raise their food safety standards to the highest level before the emirate hosts the World Expo in 2020 a senior official revealed on Sunday.
“We want all food outlets in Dubai to be in ‘A’ and ‘B’ categories. We don’t want any restaurant or hotel below those grades by 2020” Khalid Mohammed Sherif Al Awadhi said.
Speaking to Khaleej Times on the sidelines of the 9th Dubai International Food Safety Conference (DIFSC) on Sunday Al Awadhi said it is high time that eateries raised their standards to make Dubai the best place to dine in.
Hotels restaurants and cafeterias in Dubai are graded A B C D or E based on the results of the inspections done by the municipality. While A and B stand for excellent and very good categories C is given to eateries that achieve a good certificate. Outlets that receive an acceptable record are given D grade while those that have recorded critical violations receive E grade and face closure.
The department had come up with a series of initiatives such as mandatory HACCP system the Person-in-Charge programme and the Food Safety Clinic to help upgrade the food safety standards in establishments across the board. As a result a large number of eateries improved their standards and climbed up in grades in the past five years.
“We had only about 30 food premises with the A grade in 2008. After we implemented some programmes they now number over 200” said Head of Food Inspection Section Sultan Ali Al Taher.
Earlier Director-General of Dubai Municipality Hussain Nasser Lootah inaugurated the DIFSC. “During the four days of conferences and workshops participants get the opportunity to meet international food safety industry experts and share knowledge” Lootah said.
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