Dubai bans another 140 shawarma vendors over hygiene violations

The move came after 113 eateries had to stop selling the popular Arabic street food in November as they were unable to comply with new requirements.

Dubai inspectors have cracked down on shawarma vendors that don’t meet safe food handling requirements. Silvia Razgova / The National

DUBAI // More than 140 food shops have been banned from selling shawarma as part of a continuing crackdown on poor hygiene.

They follow 113 shops that were forced had to stop selling the popular Arabic street food in November because they were unable to meet new conditions.

Food hygiene authorities said that sellers must step up their game with summer coming.

Restaurants and cafes are no longer allowed to keep serving stands outside because dust and sand can be blown on to the meat.

And inspectors said there had to be more awareness about cross-contamination between uncooked meat and salad often kept on the same surfaces.

Sultan Al Tahir, head of food inspection section at Dubai Municipality, said that of the 573 shawarma outlets told to meet the new requirements last year, 425 met new hygiene rules.

Seven were in the process of making changes but 141 had not complied and can no longer offer the dish.

Past inspections revealed that some establishment were preparing shawarma, whose ingredients include meat, poultry, vegetables and sauces, in unhealthy conditions.

“Many of these outlets do not properly store the components, leaving them at high temperatures especially when summer is approaching, which contributes to the proliferation of bacteria,” said Mr Al Tahir.

“Some medium or small restaurants do not have enough space to isolate the ingredients used in the preparation of shawarma sandwiches, and place them near the meat and chicken, which causes cross-contamination between meat and vegetables.

“It requires a complete separation and place for other ingredients such as mayonnaise, garlic sauce and tahina away from meat.”

Mr Al Tahir said that most of the shops were in old Dubai and that cramped conditions were the main problem.

“We haven’t seen horrendous unhygienic circumstances, such as roaches or rodents,” he said. “Enough space should be provided to defrost the meat as well as for the preparation of shawarma at various stages, and enough space to store the necessary equipment and tools.

“Among the conditions are the provision of adequate refrigerators with suitable sizes to ensure there is no overcrowding of food and that cooling is sufficient.

“It should also be ensured that adequate equipment is provided to obtain the required temperatures for food during the process of transport, storage, display, preparation and serving.”