The Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) has launched a comprehensive inspection campaign in the Western Region, targeting what it feels are high risk food establishments in Madinat Zayed, Al Marfa' and Tarif.
Starting a week before the holy month of Ramadan, the first phase of the campaign in Madinat Zayed covered 19 outlets, including school canteens. This phase resulted in 10 warnings, one violation slip and the destruction of 14kg of food items unfit for consumption.
Eight outlets were found fully compliant with the rules and regulations. In Al Marfa' and Tarif, nine outlets out of a total of 11 received warnings.
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Director of communication and community service at ADFCA, Mohamed Jalal Al Rayssi, said in a statement that the campaign focused on four principal aspects, namely, the environment, storing, tools and equipments and practices.
"The environs include the floor, preparation areas, piling of dirt under the preparation areas and behind the refrigerators, insides of the refrigerators, dining tables and others, besides the existence of insects," he said.
Wrong storing practices included the use of inappropriate containers, reuse of containers in improper ways and lack of hygiene in storing areas, according to Al Rayssi.
He added, "As for tools and equipment, the inspectors found in some places that the number of air conditioners was inadequate. Absence of foot-operated dustbins near the wash basins, plastic curtains at the main entrance and metal tables for cleaning vegetables was another shortcoming noticed."
Some of the incorrect practices noticed by inspectors during the campaign included improper storing of cooked foods, not covering food containers, use of cloth pieces for cleaning instead of paper napkins, storing salads in coloured plastic containers instead of steel containers with lids, lack of usage of insect repellents, keeping dustbins open, refreezing frozen meats and chicken, and not cleaning tools after use.
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