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10 traditional eateries shut for flouting rules in RAK

Ras Al Khaimah - Munzir bin Shukr Al Zaabi, director-general of the RAK Municipality, said the eateries proved to have reused cooking oil in a sheer violation of public health rules.

The Ras Al Khaimah Municipality has shut down 10 traditional restaurants serving Emirati dishes and ordered their owners to pay hefty fines for flouting public health rules.
According to a top official, the outlets were identified during intensive inspection raids at all traditional eateries across the emirate, most of which were reportedly involved in unhealthy practices.
Munzir bin Shukr Al Zaabi, director-general of the RAK Municipality, said the eateries proved to have reused cooking oil in a sheer violation of public health rules.
"Some of them even failed to tightly shut the vents in the kitchen making way for rodents to enter the kitchen while in some others the sewage vents were left uncovered giving a chance for germs to multiply."
As per the list of violations registered, some of the traditional eateries did not have refrigerators with the right temperature for defrosting meat and chicken, he added. "Freezing meat or chicken in that temperature poses a risk to public health."
Bin Shukr noted that the refrigerators in some of the eateries were dirty and not functioning properly. "The floors and walls also needed to be replaced and painted."
What was more serious was that the staff of some of these eateries did not possess health cards to prove that they are physically fit and free from any contagious diseases, he underlined. "It is unacceptable to risk public health this way," said bin Shukr.
Lack of cleanliness, mainly the floors, using improper utensils in cooking and having no proper storage area for dry foodstuff, such as rice, flour, and vegetables were some of the other violations detected.
Warning, Bin Shukr said the erring traditional restaurants shall remain closed until the set health regulations are stringently observed, and the spotted breaches are removed.
"The owners or managers of all traditional restaurants here have to show complete adherence to the set benchmarks and required amendments to be professionally qualified for serving healthy food that fit for human consumption."
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com