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The Ras Al Khaimah Municipality has shut down a foodstuff warehouse for critical violations.
On top of these was using a chemical substance containing aluminum phosphates to treat bug-infected rice without being licensed for the same, according to a top official.
Munzir bin Shukr Al Zaabi, director-general of the RAK Municipality, said inspectors discovered a large quantity of infected rice. "At the same time, workers handling the chemical treatment process did not receive any training on the dangerous process as due."
Investigations show that the warehouse was selling the improperly treated rice to food outlet in the markets of the emirate, he added. "This has been verified by the invoices collected from the premises."
As per law, advance municipal approval for such chemical treatment of foods is mandatory, Al Zaabi underlined. "Only a specialised company can do the job to ensure safe removal of the chemicals used after the end of the treatment."
A sample of the treated food must be collected by the municipality specialists for lab analysis to ensure that the food is completely free from chemicals, he pointed out. "The warehouse management failed to observe any such mandatory rules."
The RAK municipality, considering the serious violation, has ordered closure of the warehouse. "A hefty fine of Dh60,000 has been slapped on the erring warehouse management as well because of the other violations detected."
Municipal inspectors also detected large amounts of imported rice with no customs clearance documents, Al Zaabi stated.
"Large amounts of expired food and non-food items were also found in the same warehouse and expired food was found mixed with valid ones," he said. "There was no clear indication on any safe removal procedure of the expired foods, whereas the foodstuff and chemicals were stored at the same place."
Shaimaa Al Tunaiji, acting-manager of the public health department, said they also discovered that a dummy company for distributing foodstuff was illegally practicing its activities at the same warehouse.
"The company, of which the manager of the warehouse was a partner of, proved to have neither headquarters nor workers on its sponsorship," she said. "The second company was discovered after some receipts holding its name were collected from the warehouse."
The food institution in charge proved to have been misleading and lying to the municipality, and failed to submit correct information and documents to the health inspectors in charge, Al Tunaiji explained.
"The warehouse also did not have a name board on its front side, and two companies were found to have been working during the evening shift with no morning duty to avoid inspection campaigns."
The warehouse management also failed to maintain its walls, mainly the roof. "The cooling and freezing devices were out of service, as well."
So many live and dead bugs and rodents were discovered at the erring warehouse, Al Tunaiji elaborated.
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com
The violations
Found using chemical substance containing aluminum phosphates to treat bug-infected rice
Improperly treated rice was sold to food outlets in the market
Large amount of imported rice was found without customs clearance documents
Dummy company for distributing foodstuff was illegally practicing at same warehouse
There was no name board on its front side
The warehouse also failed to maintain its premises
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