No horsemeat in Abu Dhabi: FCA

No horsemeat is present in any foods at any wholesale or retail outlets in the emirate, the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA), the body responsible for food safety and agriculture in the emirate, declared on Friday.

The selling of horsemeat labelled as beef burgers in some European countries was recently reported as fraud which could pose risk to consumers’ health.

Mohammed Jalal Al Rayssi, Director of Communications and Community Service at the ADFCA, said a comprehensive survey conducted upon receiving alerts from WHO’s International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) confirmed that there are no meat products that violate the standards in the emirate.

The ADFCA is aware of all updates, alerts and international developments relating to food safety monitoring and takes immediate measures to ensure that products that violate food safety standards are not in the market, he noted.

Stapler pins are safe

Al Reyaysa also assured people that the pins found stapled on tea bags and other beverage packs do not cause any chemical contamination and, thus, pose no health risks.

He clarified that the pins that staple tea bags to the thread and label are made of the same material as that of kitchen utensils and cooking pans. “That’s why these stapler pins are not likely to cause chemical hazards,” noted Al Rayssi.

“Just as the metallic pots in which food is cooked do not cause any chemical contamination even when the temperature crosses 100 degree Celsius, these stapler pins have no bad effects on health,” he stated.