Catering firms fined over poor services to schools in Al Ain

The inspection team has also destroyed food items amounting to 56kg, for not meeting the prescribed standards and criteria.

Abu Dhabi — The Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) has fined two catering companies for providing poor services to schools in Al Ain.

The inspection team has also destroyed food items amounting to 56kg, for not meeting the prescribed standards and criteria.

According to ADFCA, the companies were fined for not meeting its approved safety requirements during an inspection at schools across the oasis city recently.

“During a visit to my daughter’s school, I found the canteen very filthy and food display was horrible. After that I stopped my daughter from taking food from the school canteen. Now she takes home-made food,” said Amina Hassan, a Pakistani homemaker, living in Hamdan Street.

Another parent Joyti Danesh, an Indian mother, also said she was not happy with the school catering services. “I never allow my son to buy food from the school canteen. He goes to school with home-made food. I don’t give him money fearing that he might be attracted to buy food from the canteen,” she explained.

The inspection, a second one during this academic term, was held during the night and was conducted by the Hospitals & Educational Institutions Control Unit of ADFCA. The inspection team also checked whether the staff were complying with the set health and food safety standards.

Thamer Al Qassemi, acting director of Communication and Community Service Division at ADFCA, said: “The inspections were carried out to confirm that all the school catering services fulfill ADFCA requirements.”

nissar@khaleejtimes.com