MUSCAT, NOV 1 - In a tougher note, the Muscat Municipality warned eateries against violations in food safety and said there will not be any kind of a compromise with offenders in any form.
“Food inspectors in coordination with other departments are conducting surprise checks at all eating outlets. Non-compliance will not be tolerated”, said an official at the Muscat Municipality.
According to the official, in many cases food processing was not done in compliance with the health terms and conditions.
“Not only that food was not stored in the required temperature, in some cases they were not kept in appropriate condition fit for human consumption,” he said.
Many eateries were also found to have been sourcing cooked food from unlicensed vendors, who use expired products and prepare them in unhygienic conditions,” he said.
While issuing a warning to such vendors and outlets who buy food items from them, the official said, checks will be intensified to root out such “illegal trade”.
He said that health inspectors are also cracking down on supermarkets to ensure that food is preserved under appropriate conditions and is within the expiry date and is fit for use.
“The municipality gives paramount importance to the health of the citizens and residents. There will not be any compromise on violations,” he warned.
The civic food inspection team in cooperation with the Royal Oman Police (ROP) raided a place and destroyed 2,016 cans of soft drinks and bottled drinking water kept in unhygienic conditions.
Apart from government’s Food Safety Law, the Muscat Municipality stipulates hefty fine and closure of establishments for non-compliance.
According to the civic rules, a restaurant or any other eating joint can be closed for a period of up to 10 days and slapped with a fine of RO 2,000.
In cases of repeat violations, offenders can be forced to pull down their shutters for at least six months.
The number of cases relating to food safety violations has witnessed a surge in the recent past.
According to statistics, a total of 37 warnings were issued to food establishments daily in 2016, which totalled 13,443 warnings.
Almost 72 violations were recorded every day for non-compliance with requirements, resulting in 26,306 violations last year.
While the total number of food safety violations reached 20,302 cases, 1,453 eating joints were closed in 2016 for not adhering to the specifications in Food Safety Law.
SAMUEL KUTTY
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