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Food inspection set to go digital

SHARJAH — Armed with the new Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) advanced system, Sharjah Municipality inspectors are all set to conduct their examinations of various outlets selling food including supermarkets, restaurants and groceries to safeguard the health of consumers. The equipment has entailed an estimated cost of half a million dirham.

“The main objective of using the device is to ensure the safety of the food items offered for sale in the emirate of Sharjah. The idea of using the device was initiated under the directives of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah,'' said

Engineer Abdulla Salman Al Amri, Director-General of Sharjah Municipality, at a Press conference yesterday.

Al Amri disclosed that the DPA will soon be used by the engineers of the technical section as well to carry out building inspections.

He noted that the food issue is very sensitive and important and should be dealt with professionally and carefully to ensure that the best, healthy and safe food is consumed by people.

The PDA device will ensure the quality and the safety of various food items offered in the market, he reiterated. The device features electronic maps that will facilitate the job of the inspectors in determining the locations of the food outlets and the other outlets that needs to be inspected. The PDA device will also ensure that all the outlets selling food items are regularly inspected, Al Amri explained. He said in the last few months a number of supermarkets and restaurants were closed as they were found violating health norms and selling unsafe food items.

Dwelling on the advantages of using the device and its contribution to work, Al Amri said: “The device will contribute in offering the best level of services to consumers whom we assure that their safety and the safe condition of the food they consume is one of our priorities. The device will also enable the inspectors to strictly ensure the safety of food available in the market. The device will also help us in preparing comprehensive and accurate inspection plans in the future. Through the PDA the inspection of each outlet will take less time and will be more flexible than before that will save the time of both the inspectors and the owners of the inspected outlets.''

Ali Al Rasheed, Head of the Information Technology, explained the technical operation of the PDA device and said it will efficiently contribute in completing the inspection in less time and make it easier for the inspectors to keep track of the outlets they have already inspected and the other outlets that still need inspection.

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