Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) has carried out 150,419 inspection visits to food facilities operating in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi throughout 2020. This comes as part of the Authority’s efforts to ensure the emirate’s food safety. ADAFSA conducts routine visits to monitor and correct malpractices through approved procedures, follow-up visits to verify the facilities’ commitment to correcting malpractices, and other visits to monitor administrative orders and closure decisions.

According to ADAFSA’s statistical report for 2020, about half of the inspection visits covered food facilities in Abu Dhabi, with 82,144 inspection visits, accounting for 55% of the total number of visits. Meanwhile, the ADAFSA carried out 52,647 inspection visits (35%) in Al Ain, and 15,628 visits (10%) in Al Dhafra region.

ADAFSA’s inspection visits target food catering facilities, restaurants, food stores, distribution centers, retail outlets and  all facilities undertaking food-related activities in the emirate regions. This aims to tighten control over all food facilities, enforce Law No. 2 of 2008 on Food within the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and ensure the adoption of the best safety standards.

The inspection visits further focus on monitoring the implementation of health requirements and precautionary measures issued ADAFSA to prevent the spread of COVID-19, thus promoting food safety and community wellbeing.

The inspection visits resulted in taking 36,037 administrative actions against facilities failed to comply with food safety requirements. This includes issuing 31,014 warnings, 4,056 notices and 967 violations against violating facilities.

About 20,664 actions (57%) were taken against Abu Dhabi’s food facilities, during which 18,242 warnings, 1,781 notices and 641 violations were issued. In Al Ain, about 10,699 (30%) actions were taken against food facilities, including 8,248 warnings, 2,238 notices and 213 violations. Meanwhile, ADAFSA inspectors have taken 4,674 (13%) administrative actions against Al Dhafra’s facilities, including 4,524 warnings, 113 violations and 37 notices.

ADAFSA’s inspectors strive to ensure the commitment of food facilities to hygiene and food safety measures, especially in places dedicated to store, prepare and display foods. They are working on raising food handlers’ awareness of the most important food safety practices, including proper ways for preserving and storing foods, the cleanness of food preparation areas, personal hygiene, and the provision of adequate sanitizers in the facility.

Besides, food workers are educated about the importance of washing hands in designated places, wearing protective clothing, such as head cover, masks and gloves, and closing any openings in storage facilities’ doors and windows. These efforts aim at promoting food handlers’ role in implementing food safety practices and requirements.

Furthermore, ADAFSA is keen on launching several awareness campaigns targeting food workers and consumers, to educate them about the best practices to be followed while receiving, storing, preparing, cooking and serving foods. In addition, ADAFSA is working on educating food workers to potential risks of undertaking malpractices while handling food within a facility. The Authority continues publishing tips on its official social media accounts, within its efforts to introduce the public to the best practices for handling food.

ADAFSA calls on consumers to report any violations they detect in any food facility by contacting Abu Dhabi Government Contact Center on 800555. This helps the authority’s inspectors take the necessary action, to ensure providing safe and healthy food to all consumers across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

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