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The Saudi Food and Drugs Authority (SFDA) has shut down 39 water-bottling plants for various violations so far this year, business daily Al-Eqtisadiah reported on Sunday quoting a senior official of the authority.
Abdul Rahman Al-Sultan, director of the SFDA’s department of pharmaceutical information and awareness, said the factories were closed down after water samples were tested to ensure compliance with standard specifications.
He said 837 samples were taken during 863 inspection visits to 229 water-bottling factories in 12 provinces of the Kingdom.
Sultan said the authority maintained a comprehensive supervisory and periodical program to examine all water bottling and ice factories to check their commitment to standards and specifications.
He said the authority noticed that there was no commitment to periodical maintenance in some of the factories, there were openings and cracks in the ceilings and walls, there was no proper ventilation and some of the workers were not qualified.
Sultan said large quantities of water that did not conform to SFDA standards and specifications were withdrawn from the market.
In a statement posted on its website, the authority warned the public against using tainted water bottled by two plants, Sultan said.
The director said the teams from the authority make at least four routine inspection visits to every water-bottling factory in a year, in addition to surprise visits whenever required.
Abdul Rahman Al-Sultan, director of the SFDA’s department of pharmaceutical information and awareness, said the factories were closed down after water samples were tested to ensure compliance with standard specifications.
He said 837 samples were taken during 863 inspection visits to 229 water-bottling factories in 12 provinces of the Kingdom.
Sultan said the authority maintained a comprehensive supervisory and periodical program to examine all water bottling and ice factories to check their commitment to standards and specifications.
He said the authority noticed that there was no commitment to periodical maintenance in some of the factories, there were openings and cracks in the ceilings and walls, there was no proper ventilation and some of the workers were not qualified.
Sultan said large quantities of water that did not conform to SFDA standards and specifications were withdrawn from the market.
In a statement posted on its website, the authority warned the public against using tainted water bottled by two plants, Sultan said.
The director said the teams from the authority make at least four routine inspection visits to every water-bottling factory in a year, in addition to surprise visits whenever required.
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