To ensure the provision of safe food at eateries or Iftar tents, all municipalities of Qatar have intensified their inspection drives across the country.
The municipalities through keen vigilance are ensuring that food laws are not being violated in the holy month of Ramadan when demand for outdoor food is increased manifold either it is being sold at eateries or served for free at Iftar tents.
An official of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment said that people should have the satisfaction that all food items are controlled and many measures are being taken to ensure the safety of food items before they are sold.
“Actually the drive began a month ago which focuses more on eateries to monitor their readiness because some of them prepare food in large quantities for Ramadan tents,” said a source at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment.
He also said that the campaign which municipalities are conducting in Ramadan aims at ensuring that the products are safe and they were stored properly and prepared in a hygienic way. “Action will be taken against the food outlets and eateries which are not complying with health requirements,” he added.
The inspectors check food items, its storage, transportation process, and food preparation to ensure the health and safety of the consumers. Sharing more details about Ramadan inspection plan with The Peninsula, he said: “The municipalities’ inspectors are working in shifts round the clock in order to impose strict control on the markets and all outlets selling and preparing food, cafes, restaurants and food shops.”
“Inspection drives are focusing more on supermarkets, eateries and Ramadan tents. For Ramadan tents, the inspection is conducted at facilities like restaurants which prepare food for these tents. Also, the inspectors have a close check on the transportation of food as it is an important step because food is spoiled if exposed to unhealthy transport conditions,” he noted.
Mohammed Ahmed Buhashim Al Sayed, Head of Health Control Section at Doha Municipality said that the most important inspections are concentrated on the warehouses and eateries that cook large quantities of food to provide to smaller shops.
He said that the inspection of food items continues throughout the year.