By Sidi Mohamed
DOHA: The Health Monitoring Section at Doha Municipality shut down 92 food outlets, registered 922 violations and collected QR3,108,370 in fines in the first half of this year.
Inspectors conducted more than 12,000 visits to food outlets, stores, abattoirs, vegetables and fruits market, laundries and men and women salons.
The visits aimed at ensuring that food outlets meet Qatar’s health specifications and provide safe food for consumers. A source at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment told The Peninsula yesterday that the number of violations in the first half of this year dropped by 15 to 20 percent compared to the corresponding period last year.
He said most violations related to health specifications and just not for food.
“The number of food outlets we have closed down is not high compared to the number of visits this year, which mean there is awareness among food outlets, restaurants and other shops about the need to meet health specifications.”
“As part of our plan for these summer months, there is permanent inspectors at the Central Market to check meat, vegetables and fruits daily to ensure that they meet health specifications. We are also making routine visits, especially to stores which sell vegetables and fruits in the Industrial Area and supermarkets,” he added.
According to a January-June report released by the ministry, 430 samples of food were tested by the central laboratory at the Ministry of Public health and were found safe for human consumption. Four samples of food were found unfit for human consumption and eight samples did not meet specifications.
Officials inspected 84,033 tonnes of vegetables and fruits in the Central Market and destroyed 1,050 tonnes found unfit for human consumption. They also checked 378,274 slaughtered meat and destroyed 118 tonnes and inspected 9,873 tonnes of fish and destroyed 34 tonnes — which were found unfit for human consumption.
The Peninsula
