(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The Ras Al Khaimah Municipality has cracked down on 87 food outlets flouting rules.
The erring shops were part of 1,329 food and health institutions inspected at different areas of the emirate in June this year, according to a top official.
Shaimaa Al Tunaiji, acting manager of the Public Health Department, said that staff inspectors carried out 385 inspection campaigns in June this year.
"Up to 33 cosmetic items and 59 food products were confiscated and destroyed for being expired or unfit for human consumption."
Some outlets turned deaf ears to our repetitive warnings letters and are only concerned with their interests while disregarding the impact their unfit products will have on customers' health, she added.
"The RAK municipal inspectors deal with no tolerance with any violation related to people's health, and keep a close eye on all food and health institutions across the emirate."
Al Tunaiji said hefty fines, along with temporary or permanent closure, shall be imposed on erring establishments. "More inspection campaigns shall be launched to rein in the RAK markets."
While none of the erring shops was shut down, 37 of them were issued warning letters, she disclosed. "Also none was fined as compared to 55 outlets fined Dh20,575 last year."
Staff inspectors also impounded 11 vehicles after they were nabbed while selling foods on the street or offering their vehicles for sale in violation of law, Al Tunaiji explained.
"The public is urged that they should show no cooperation with street vendors, who are mostly coming from nearby emirates, since they were not licensed and fail to meet due health conditions while posing a grave risk to people's health."
Official records show that the RAK Municipality issued 2,391 health cards to workers of commercial entities last month. "Upto 125 validity certificates for exporting foodstuff were issued in June as well."
Besides this, 3,368 animals, including sheep, goats and cows, were slaughtered at the Central Abattoir in Filya area. "No animal was killed for being sick and unfit for human consumption as compared to 57 in June."
Up to 496 animals were slaughtered in the Shawka Abattoir against 608 in the RAK Abattoir where one animal was killed for failing to meet due standards, Al Tunaiji esplained. "As much as 222kg of slaughtered birds were also seized at the RAK international Airport."
The central municipal lab has received 579 samples, including 413 food and 166 water samples, for analysis, she said. "556 of these proved valid while 23 failed to meet the UAE standards."
Ahmed Shaaban Originally from Egypt, I have been in Dubai since December 2005. Before coming here, I worked as an English language instructor, chief En/Ar translator, proofreader, reporter in Egypt and Qatar. I have also worked as a reporter, correspondent and simultaneous translator with two satellite channels in Dubai. I have a masters degree in media, Cairo University, 2014, a bachelor degree in English language and translation, Ain Shams University, Cairo, 1996, and three post-graduate diplomas in English language and Instruction. With over 19 years of experience in translation, interpretation, EFL instruction, and reporting. I am interested in technology, aviation, politics, as well as community, parliament and defence issues. I enjoy reading, writing, exercising, and surfing the web.
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