94 food outlets shut in Dubai in six months

dubai — The Dubai Municipality has ordered temporary closure of 94 food outlets due to hygiene violations, during the first half of the year. The municipality closed these establishments for up to three hours to modify their status and clean the premises before getting the right evaluation.

According to Sultan Al Taher, head of food inspection in the Food Safety Department at Dubai Municipality, these food establishments were given a “short period of time to modify their status and clear all the violations related to hygiene and unhealthy practices, expired foodstuffs, and the presence of spoiled foods”.

He said some of the closures were due to the presence of insects in the outlets, which should be informed to the company contracted to clean up, and thus lift the violation.

Al Taher added the inspectors noticed violations related to sanitation, requiring direct closure, and prevent the restaurant from doing work until modifying its status. “Some irregularities included non-compliance of the establishment with the commercial activity approved in the licence.”

“Violations increase in the summer because of high temperatures, as heat directly affects the food and damages it faster. Poor storage

Violations increase in the summer because of high temperatures, as heat directly affects the food and damages it faster. Poor storage and ventilation are also causes.” Sultan Al Taher, head of food inspection, Food Safety Department at DM

and ventilation are also causes. We do not close less dangerous outlets because they do not commit violations that directly affect consumers. Their violations are more related to administration, which are required to be rectified during inspector visits,” he said.

Al Taher explained the inspectors carried out 15,681 inspection visits, including visits to confirm the 1,733 communications received by the municipality call centre at a rate of nine communications a day. “We receive several communications from consumers, but they must be confirmed before deciding whether or not to issue fines,” he said.

“The visits showed that 997 communications were incorrect and 954 communications (55% of the total communications) were correct and they were dealt with immediately.”