Doha, Qatar: Giving top priority to the health and safety of people, the Ministry of Municipality is strictly monitoring food outlets forcing them to comply with relevant food safety requirements.

A huge number of 210,733 inspections on food outlets operating across the country were recorded in 2023, according to statistics issued by the Ministry yesterday demonstrating the achievements of all eight municipalities.

The inspection campaigns resulted in the closure of 240 food outlets last year. Usually, food outlets are closed temporarily for weeks according to the severity of the violation. Municipal inspectors also recorded 30,200 violations of health rules at the outlets.

As many as 4,910 food samples were taken from food outlets to the central laboratory to check whether they were fit for human consumption. The health monitoring unit also received 2,131 complaints against food outlets which were responded to immediately.

The municipal inspection teams with veterinary doctors were deployed in slaughterhouses where they inspected 314,295 slaughtered animals in 2023.

A total of 4,182 carcasses of slaughtered animals and 86,924kg of meat were destroyed for being unfit for human consumption.

The inspectors also visited the fish market, where they inspected 38,902 tonnes of fish last year and destroyed 157kg of fish for being unfit for human consumption.

The highest number of visits, 72,148 inspections, were made on the outlets operating in Al Rayan Municipality where 39 outlets were closed and 24,699 violations were recorded in 2023.

The health monitoring unit of Al Rayan Municipality received 593 complaints against food outlets which were responded to immediately.

The food outlets operating in Doha Municipality saw 68,174 inspections, the second largest followed by Al Rayan Municipality.

The municipal authority closed 67 food outlets operating in Doha Municipality and recorded 1,239 violations in 2023.

Last year, the Municipality also received 928 complaints against food outlets for not complying with health rules.

As many as 17,192 inspection visits were made to food outlets operating in Umm Salal Municipality last year. Last year, municipal inspectors closed 11 food outlets in Umm Salal Municipality for not complying with some provisions of health rules and recorded 223 violations. The Municipality received 100 complaints and sent 279 food samples for laboratory tests.

Al Wakra Municipality’s foot outlets received 15,282 inspection visits which resulted in the closure of 66 outlets.

The Municipality also recorded 396 violations of some provisions of health rules and sent 368 food samples for laboratory tests. The municipal inspectors received 184 complaints which were responded to immediately.

Last year, the food outlets operating in Al Sheehaniya Municipality received 12,216 inspection visits which resulted in closure of 26 outlets. The inspectors also recorded 2,116 violations and sent 245 food samples for laboratory test.

Al Khor and Al Zakhira Municipality witnessed 10,288 inspection visits to food outlets which resulted in recording 1,054 violations and closures of 21 outlets.

As many as 144 complaints against food outlets were received and 367 food samples were sent for laboratory tests. The food outlets operating in Al Daayen Municipality received 9,137 inspection visits which resulted in the closure of 8 outlets and recording 129 violations.

Al Shamal Municipality witnessed 6,292 inspection visits to food outlets which resulted in 346 violations. The Municipality sent 68 food samples for laboratory tests and received 24 complaints.

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