DUBAI// Grocery shop owners are risking consumers' health by cutting the power to fridges and freezers at night to save money.
They were warned yesterday to stop the practice or face fines of up to Dh100,000 and possible closure.
"This is about the safety of the public," said Dr Hashim Al Nuaimi, director of the consumer protection department at the Ministry of Economy.
"Many people are reluctant to contact the ministry if they think one of these smaller grocery stores has done something wrong because they feel sorry for them and don't want them to lose their business. But what they need to remember is someone else might eat something that gives them food poisoning or other health issues."
Consumers should also check the food they buy and its packaging to make sure it is undamaged, Dr Al Nuaimi said.
"Many residential towers now have a grocery store and people just phone to place an order so you cannot be sure of the quality."
One dairy product manufacturer said it was difficult to ensure their food was always stored under the correct conditions.
"We do our best to make sure our products reach shops in the right condition but unfortunately once they get to many of these stores that is not the case.
"We know it's a problem because when we do inspections of our products they aren't kept in good conditions."
Bobby Krishna, senior food studies officer from Dubai Municipality's food control department, said there were signs to look for that food had not been correctly stored or left to defrost overnight.
"Things like peas and spinach initially freeze individually. Refrozen food freezes in one big chunk," he said.
The greatest risk comes from food that needs to be kept cool.
"Things like eggs and dairy products are given a use-by date based on a specific temperature that they must be kept at at all times," said Mr Krishna.
Another area of concern was the overloading of fridges and freezers.
Overstacking can interrupt air circulation and cause a change in temperature, which affects foods, said Ghaleb Abussa, chief executive of the refrigeration company Three Factors, during a panel discussion at the Food Chain conference in Dubai yesterday.
The panel was told by a delegate that many smaller stores put only a fraction of their stock on display.
"The question that needs to be asked is where is the rest of this stock kept and in what kind of condition."
Chris Rajamani, technical and business development manager at Al Hoty Stanger Laboratories, said the issue was of particular concern during the summer.
"These storage areas are not usually air conditioned so food can suffer," he said.
"The regulatory authority needs to step in and check these premises on a regular basis."
Dr Al Nuaimi welcomed the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority's Baqala initiative to raise standards at grocery stores in the capital and would like to see it introduced around the country.
The consumer protection department of the Ministry of Economy hotline number is 600 522225, or visit economy.ae
