Food firms given fortnight to improve storage
Posted by Zawya
Emirates Business 24-7, 15 June 2010


Companies storing food items in warehouses that are low-grade and do not meet the criteria set out by the Dubai Municipality (DM) have been given two weeks to improve their condition.

The municipality yesterday told Emirates Business that stringent action will be taken against warehouses that go below the "C level" and promised to carry out another surprise inspection campaign before Ramadan.

An inspection last month of 257 warehouses storing dry, chilled and frozen food items in Dubai revealed that seven per cent of them were not complying with DM's hygiene requirements. Out of these, 144 establishments were fined for not complying with standards.

"All those who have been warned and fined will have two weeks to improve the condition of their warehouses," warned Sultan Al Tahir, Head of the Product Control Section in DM's Food Control Department.

Prominent violations include inadequate space allotment and cramming of excessive amounts of goods in a limited space, and the lack of proper ventilation systems in preservation of food.

"Warehouses in Dubai have some of the best standards and we do not want people to tamper with their existing structures," said Al Tahir. A second surprise inspection campaign will be carried out before Ramadan. "As it happens every year, we are expecting relatively high movement of foodstuffs during Ramadan. It is our priority to ensure the safety and hygiene of customers," he said.

Following last month's inspection, Tahir had said it was crucial for companies to store food at the required temperature levels during summer months.

"(Maintaining) the correct temperature level is the most effective way to reduce the risk of microbes and prevent them from multiplying and destroying foodstuffs during storage.

"We tried to ensure that refrigeration units were working at temperatures of four degrees Celsius or below and that freezing units were kept at temperatures of minus 18 degrees or less. In the case of dry food, the temperatures have to be kept at 21 degrees or less," he added.

By Joseph George

© Emirates Business 24/7 2010

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