Ras Al Khaimah, January 21: The RAK Municipality has fined about 85 outlets for flouting food hygiene laws in various areas of the emirate.
The violators which included 12 restaurants, 13 cafeterias, grocery stores, supermarkets and meat shops were caught by municipal inspectors during campaigns carried out on various outlets across the emirate.
Huge quantities of expired and spoiled products were seized from some of the outlets, a senior municipal official from the Environmental and Public Health Department said.
The official noted that fines ranging between Dh500 and Dh5,000 were imposed on the owners of each of the violating outlets. Warning letters were also issued. The violations committed by these outlets included sale of stale food, operating under poor hygiene conditions and lack of health cards by workers of some outlets. The official said some meat sellers were found selling even rotten meat.
“The workers remove frozen meat from the freezers, defrost it and sell it as fresh meat,” he added.
Inspections also revealed that some grocery shops were switching off their refrigerators especially at night resulting in spoilt diary and other fresh products. Municipal officials have urged food dealers to consider people’s health in their conduct of business.
The municipality has vowed to continue with their inspections and warned of hefty penalties including permanent closure of their businesses.
–IANS–