FUJAIRAH // Health inspectors have been out in force up and down the east coast to ensure restaurants, cafeterias and beauty salons abide by hygiene rules ahead of the Eid Al Adha holidays.
This month inspectors visited 2,500 food outlets, barbers and spas before the traditional rush of customers looking for new outfits or preparing Eid feasts, with 92 being given warnings, 21 fined and one closed for breaches of municipality rules.
“The team visited all food establishments such as hypermarkets, butcheries and central markets, plus beauty salons and barbers,” said Fatima Al Meksah, head of public health at Fujairah Municipality.
“Most violations were related to food storage, hygiene, sterilising of equipment and expiration date of products.”
Adnan Rafeh, manager of Sevan Bakery, said the inspections were important to ensure businesses followed the rules and to reassure customers.
“They check everything – staff hygiene and health cards, storage, cleanliness of the shop and equipment and the products’ expiry dates,” Mr Rafeh said.
“If they see any violation you will get a warning and if they notice it again they will issue a fine that is between Dh1,500 and Dh3,000.
“We always try to make sure the staff adhere to the health and safety rules and regulations and we stress it more during celebrations like Eid.”
Eid Al Adha is expected to begin on September 10, although official dates have yet to be announced.
“Eid is our busiest times of the year,” said Mr Rafeh, 64. “We stay open for 24 hours the day before Eid because people start to buy sweets and pastries the night before and continue until the first day of Eid.”
Fresh sweets at Eid are part of the tradition, said Saeed Al Kaabi, 31.
“We can buy them any time but to have them freshly baked we buy the night before,” Mr Al Kaabi said. “It became part of the tradition, that’s why all the bakeries and patisseries are full before Eid.”
Carolen Sabbagh, manager of the Riviera Beauty Centre, said she assigned one of her staff to take care of all safety and hygiene issues, and to check the expiry dates on all cosmetic products.
“During the Eid rush we try to do our best to ensure customers get the service they need in a healthy and hygienic atmosphere, by increasing the cleaning rounds and preparing sterilised equipment in advance,” Ms Sabbagh said.
“We write the date on the product once we open it because most cosmetic products should not be used after six to 12 months after opening, plus all our equipment should be sterilised after each use.”
Health inspectors also visited the emirate’s abattoirs as they prepared to handle more than 1,000 animals each day during the holidays.
“We have four slaughterhouses – in Masafi, Al Tawyeen, Merbeh and Fujairah – and they are all set and ready to receive 1,500 animals a day during Eid holidays,” Ms Al Meksah said.
“Specialised vets will be available at the slaughterhouses to supervise the whole process.”
Ms Al Meksah urged members of the public not to use unlicensed butchers.
rhaza@thenational.ae
