Thirty-four food outlets have been temporarily shutdown for health and safety breaches in Sharjah over the last eight months.
The restaurants and cafeterias were closed for general cleanliness offences and non-compliance with public health requirements, while 3,345 others have been fined.
The food outlets will be allowed to reopen again once all violations are amended in a way that meets the authority’s health and safety standards.
The Food Control Department at Sharjah Municipality said that the department has carried out around 26,500 inspection campaigns over the last eight months to ensure the safety of the food offered at the outlets.
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Omar Al Muhairi, head of the department, said that the lack of commitment to wear hairnets and gloves when handling food and general cleanliness offences were the most common violation found during the inspection.
“There are a number of measures that are being taken by inspectors to prevent violations and ensure that they will not be repeated again, such as guiding the employees and explain to them the type of violation they committed and how they can avoid it in the future,” said Mr Al Muhairi.
Last July, an illegal processing facility in Sharjah was shutdown by food safety inspectors
The plant was understood to have produced roasted nuts, coffee and baked goods for a number of well-known outlets.
Officials identified the unlicensed operation after receiving a tip-off from a member of the public.
