90% food transport vehicles comply with rules in Dubai

dubai — In an inspection campaign conducted by Dubai Municipality, 90 per cent of food transport vehicles were found abiding by hygiene requirements.

The campaign, which coincided with the GCC Food Safety Week, was organised to ensure these vehicles comply with the hygiene requirements applied by the Food Safety Department.

A total of 54 out of 487 food transport vehicles that have been inspected in Warsan’s Vegetables and Fruits Market, were seized for violation of the approved rules. The campaign was aimed at controlling the food transport operations, and to ensure the application of guidelines for safe transport of food of various kinds, dry, chilled and frozen.

Sultan Ali Al Taher, head of food inspection section, who headed the team responsible for following up and implementing the guidelines for safe transport of food, said that the campaign also took place in the fish market in Deira.

He said only 10 per cent of the vehicles were found to be violating the rules and regulations for safe and hygienic transport of food, adding that the violators were fined and were immediately transferred to the technical inspection centers, while 90 per cent or 487 of the vehicles, were found to be compliant with the rules.

He added that there has been an increase of 15 per cent in compliance ratio than the similar campaign last year, which had witnessed a compliant ratio of about 75 per cent out of 500 vehicles, which reached 90 per cent this year.

Al Taher noted that food safety at all stages of the food chain is based on the principle of “food safety is a shared responsibility” between the food safety department, food-processing establishments and consumers.

The section will conduct periodic campaigns during the current year until 100% compliance is ensured from all transport companies in applying the hygiene requirements and technical specifications of the food safety department.

reporters@khaleejtimes.com