Wednesday, Jun 29, 2016

Dubai: Dubai Municipality on Wednesday addressed the latest rumour circulating on social media, which claimed that Qassim qahwa — a brand of Arabic coffee — contained yellow toxic substances that could harm your health.

“This particular brand of coffee passed through all the health and safety criteria of Gulf and international standards, and in no way, can cause any harm when consumed,” said Khalid Mohammad Al Sharif, executive director of the Food Control Department at Dubai Municipality.

Since June last year, the authority responded to more than 26 rumours via its call centre. This means that health officials have to deal with an average of two rumours per month.

According to the Complaints and Suggestions Section at the municipality, the most prominent rumours circulating among residents included cheese, Vimto, chocolate, light-emitting diode (LED) shoes, perfume, and worms in green tea.

Al Sharif explained that the product in question has been tested at the municipality’s laboratory, and the results have proved that the required specifications were met.

The municipality urged members of the public to clear their doubts about any such rumours through its website or by calling 800900.

“Random samples are regularly conducted on all food products sold in the emirate of Dubai,” said Al Sharif.

According to the municipality’s rules, all foods that enter the city undergo microbiological, chemical and radiological tests by the Food and Environment Laboratory at the Dubai Central Laboratory.

Mariam M. Al Serkal, Senior Web Reporter

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