Your favourite shawarma stand in Dubai might close down soon

Dubai - The six-month deadline given to small and medium establishments to make changes to the way shawarma is prepared ended on October 31.

Almost a fourth of the Shawarma stands in Dubai will be closed down, with the civic in Dubai enforcing the new guidelines required for preparing and selling the sandwich.
The six-month deadline given to small and medium establishments to make changes to the way shawarma is prepared ended on October 31.
Sultan Al Tahir, head of food inspection section at the Dubai Municipality, said: "We had sent out letters to 572 small and medium food outlets since the beginning of May, explaining the food and health rules and regulations to be met by the shawarma-making establishments."
Of these, 141 (24.65 per cent) failed to take any action on the new requirements, while 113 establishments (19.75%) completely stopped the activity. However, 146 establishments (25.5 per cent) completed the implementation of the new requirements before the deadline; and 172 (30.07 per cent) have begun the amendments and are in the process of completing it.
"During our routine inspection campaigns to these establishments, we found that they did not have enough space to prepare this food, and brought the meat or chicken from other establishments. They also did not have space to put other ingredients. They kept these outside the refrigerators - near a hot place meant for cooking and preparing sandwiches - which exposes them to damage due to the proliferation of bacteria caused by high heat," said Al Tahir.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com

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