20 inspectors detect violations in day-long trip.

PAFN conducts tour of Qurain Markets to ensure public health

The Inspection Department of the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition (PAFN) conducted an inspection tour of the Qurain Markets area in Mubarak Al-Kabeer Governorate, reports Al-Anba daily. In a press statement, the Director of the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Inspection Department Dr. Saud Al-Hamidi Al-Jalal, who supervised the inspection tour, explained that 20 male and female inspectors participated in the tour, which included the inspection of food establishments, markets and central kitchens on continuous rounds throughout the day to ensure the extent to which public health requirements are met in order to preserve the safety of consumers.

Fish and prawns checked for freshness at a stall

The Sabah Al-Salem Center and Al-Qosour Center conduct monitoring rounds 24/7 through the various shifts. Dr. Al-Jalal revealed that the coming period will witness an intensification of inspection tours, especially of food delivery companies, adding that focus will be given to workers who deliver food orders to ensure they have a health certificate proving that they are free of any infectious diseases. Head of the inspection team in Mubarak Al-Kabeer Governorate Muhammad Saad Al- Dosari said, “Our role in the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition in Mubarak Al-Kabeer Governorate is to supervise food establishments. For this purpose, we conducted a tour around a number of food establishments to ensure the safety of the food items.

This is our main role that we are working on. We will also monitor the level of commitment of establishments in meeting the health requirements, ensuring the health of workers and general hygiene, and following up and verifying the validity of the offered products. In terms of the oversight role, intensive inspection tours are carried out on a daily basis of food factories, groceries and food markets.” During the tour, the fish stalls in one of the central markets were inspected. In this regard, the food inspector Muhammad Faisal Al-Azmi explained that the inspection of fish is done by looking and touching, and noting the consistency of the fish’s body, eyes, gills, color, whether it is flowery or dark, as well as its smell.

Regarding the crustacean types such as shrimp, he said, “The most important part is the head. Shrimp is a food item that needs great attention due to its perishability. Because of this, we tested a sample quantity of shrimp. We discovered that a large quantity of the shrimp had completely decapitated heads, as well as some grains where the shell was separated from the body, which means that it is damaged. The spoiled quantity is collected and weighed, and a report of destruction and violation is drawn up according to the quantity present. The basis for inspecting fish is from the head.

Therefore, displaying pre-cut fish for sale is considered a violation because they are without a head and its quality cannot be determined. In such cases, we insist on seeing the license. We need to see the head of the fish to monitor whether it is fresh or not. This is not possible with fillets. There are companies that specialize in providing this type of food. What is displayed carries a production date and an expiry date. The pieces offered are just pieces without any data or parts indicating validity, while the actual source of information about fish is the head.” Meanwhile, an inspector from the Mubarak Al-Kabeer branch of the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition Mutlaq Al-Rashidi said, “We are located in one of the central markets in Mubarak Al-Kabeer Governorate where we check various food items, including fish, meat and canned food.

We also inspect the health requirements inside the facilities, and check the health cards of workers, and check to what extent the general hygiene requirements are met.” He explained that the fish displayed in a market was inspected, pointing out that the most important manifestations of damage to the fish appear in the eye color of the fish, the color of the blood, which turns dark, and the softness and texture of the fish. If these signs are present, measures are taken regarding them, and a destruction report is made along with a violation report.

The fish is then seized and eventually destroyed. The fish that is dissected and displayed must be based on a license to present it in this manner. It also depends on the type and condition of the fish, whether it is chilled, frozen or fresh. Each activity is specific to work with and has its specialization. Al-Rashidi said, “Whoever specializes in chilled, frozen or fresh fish must adhere to his specialization. Cutting fresh or chilled fish must be done in front of the consumers and on demand.” In addition, a food inspector Zainab Bou Abbas said, “I inspected a restaurant, and noticed poor storage of some food. We also made some observations about the level of cleanliness. I settled with submitting notes and issuing warnings to amend these matters. If the matter is repeated, citations will be issued.”

Meanwhile, Director of the Inspection Department of Mubarak Al-Kabeer Governorate Dr. Saud Al-Hamidi Al-Jalal revealed that the tour, in which the daily participated, witnessed the seizure of a factory specialized in food supplies, as it did not have a health license from the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition, and did not meet the necessary health requirements, as well as for the presence of cracks on the floors. Accordingly, a record of opening and managing a facility was drawn up before obtaining a health license, along with a record of no health and technical requirements. The facility will also be closed as a precaution for the safety of consumers until the samples are sent to the laboratory to ensure their validity.

Source- Arab Times.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *