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UAE eateries get 6 months to enforce new shawarma rules

Dubai - Waiters are to use only tweezers and spoons when placing the meat and salads inside the sandwich, and not their hands.

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Shawarma joints across UAE have been given six months to adhere to the new standards issued by authorities to enhance product hygiene and safety, Khaleej Times has learned.
The Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (ESMA) earlier announced the implementation of new federal requirements that cover ingredients used in preparing shawarma, the preparation process and facilities, tools and the equipment used, packaging, storage, sale and display.
Under the new rules, customers have the right to demand to see their shawarma sandwiches being prepared; these food items should also not be prepared in advance, but only on demand.
Waiters are to use only tweezers and spoons when placing the meat and salads inside the sandwich, and not their hands.
To ensure safety and hygiene in shawarma-serving eateries across the country, ESMA is currently working with municipalities across the UAE and the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, to introduce inspection and monitoring frameworks at restaurants, cafes and stalls that serve this popular snack.
Dr Yousef Al Saadi, director of the Technical Legislation Department at ESMA, told Khaleej Times that eateries have been given a six-month deadline to adhere to the new standards. As of June, those who fail to comply will be subject to fines and warnings introduced by the local regulatory authorities.
"The issue of introducing fines on violating stands and joints is left to municipalities and regulatory bodies of each emirate, according to their own fine systems. The amount or nature of the fine will depend on the kind of violation and its reference," said Al Saadi, the first Emirati food specialist to be US-certified.
ESMA is also introducing campaigns to increase awareness among consumers and stands alike.
Al Saadi noted that developing the standard No.1060 UAE.S GSO that covers the processing and handling of shawarma is an effort to ensure the highest safety levels. The new standards are also expected to enhance the national economy in industrial and commercial sectors.

The new shawarma rules

The new federal standards will tighten control through all stages of shawarma preparation.
For instance, in the case of shawarma ingredients, establishments are expected to avoid the use of handmade mayonnaise in the shawarma meal. Small mayonnaise strips (individual packages) or closed containers produced from licensed factories are to be served, based on customer request. Salads accompanying the shawarma are only to be made from fresh and clean vegetables safe for human consumption.
As far as the facilities and preparation areas are concerned, eateries must be legally licensed by the appropriate official authority and its size must match its food production capacity. All sanitary conditions are to be ensured in the preparation areas, according to GSO standard.
The temperature inside the shawarma preparation area is not to exceed 15°C and right ventilation must be ensured. Eateries are prohibited from skewering, grilling and selling shawarma outside the shop or restaurant, in order to protect the food from external pollutants.
In the case of shawarma tools and equipment, these must be made of materials that conform to Gulf standard specifications. The tools used to make ready-to-eat shawarma must not be used for other food preparation, to prevent cross-contamination. They must be regularly cleaned and sanitised.
While preparing the shawarma skewer, eateries must comply with the following: defrosting frozen meat outside the refrigerator is strictly forbidden. Frozen meat and poultry must be thawed for use on the same day only, by placing it in the refrigerator not exceeding 7°C. The water of the meat should be filtered well. The meat must not be re-frozen under any circumstance.
The shawarma skewer should not exceed 40cm in diameter and 60kgs in weight. The height should not exceed the upper and lower limit of the heat source used. Appetisers and salads added to sandwiches must be stored at a temperature not exceeding 4°C.

Shawarma - How it is to be made, served

>The shawarma must be well cooked; the temperature of the meat skewer must not be less than 75°C. It is strictly forbidden to switch off the heat source of the skewer.
>Eateries must provide a grill alongside the shawarma skewer to further cook the meat that appears raw after it is sliced off the skewer.
>The meat should not be cut in quantities beyond demand. Sandwiches must be prepared only on demand and in front of the customers.
>Mayonnaise should not be added to the shawarma before it is consumed.
>Only food tweezers and spoons should be used in preparation; staff must not use their hands to place the meat and salads inside the sandwich.
>Reusing or saving shawarma and salad remains from the previous day is prohibited

Did you know?

Shawarma might be a popular fast food item in the Levant and Arab region, but its origins go back to the Ottoman Empire, with evidence from the Mycenaean Greek and Minoan periods. The word "shawarma" is an Arabic rendering of Turkish "çevirme" - meaning "turning-in", a reference to the method of cooking the meat that rotates around a skewer.
The shawarma involves grilling a vertical spit of meat, slicing and cutting it off as it cooks to make the shawarma sandwich or plate.
When The Avengers film portrayed the heroes eating shawarma to celebrate their battle with the Chitauri army, it led to a temporary boost in shawarma sales in the US when the movie released.
sherouk@khaleejtimes.com