Al Alamia dairy and beverage factory ordered to shut down after series of food safety violations
The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) issued a circular to announce the shut down of the factory, located at the Al Ain Industrial Park.
The factory had failed to comply with hygiene regulations, detected with insects in multiple production areas, absence of labels on food products stored in refrigerators, and fake production dates on some products, according to the ADAFSA’s director of Communications and Community Services Department Thamer Al Qasimi.
Al Qasimi added that the factory did not keep up with corrective measures despite receiving repeated warnings.
Previously, the factory was given warnings in March and May last year.
He said that the factory closure “comes within the framework of the inspectors’ efforts to strengthen the adherence of food safety rules in the emirate of Abu Dhabi,” local media Gulf News reported.
He added that the closure “will continue until the violations are rectified, and will reopen once the conditions are met.”
He also urged to public to report food safety violations by contacting the Abu Dhabi Government Contact Centre.
Stepping up inspections
Elsewhere in the UAE, the Dubai Municipality said it would step up inspections of food establishments during Ramadan.
Some of the areas bound for inspections include warehouses, hypermarkets, and dairy and cheese factories.
“Dubai Municipality is organizing intensive inspection campaigns on food warehouses & hypermarkets, to ensure that it applies health requirements & to keep food in proper sanitary conditions, and inspection of dairy & cheese factories and Vegetables & Fruits Market to promote confidence in food safety & to ensure public health throughout the year, especially in the holy month of Ramadan,” it said in its official Instagram page.
It is particularly common for authorities to beef up food safety measures during festive seasons.
Last year, the Dubai Municipality inspected warehouses storing rice, flour, juice, and factories producing dairy goods.
The inspection focused on checking food storage temperature and sending food samples for lab examination.
In Punjab, North India, its chief minister Sardar Usman Buzdar also ordered for “indiscriminate action” and surveillance to be carried out by the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) throughout the province during Ramadan.
“(Although) PFA is already active against food adulteration, (even stricter) implementation of PFA laws (will ensue) during Ramadan-ul-Mubarak,” the chief minister said.
