Dubai

Authorities have closed down as many as 141 shawarma (grilled meat dish) outlets for failing to comply with health and safety standards.

That accounts for 25 per cent of shawarma shops in Dubai, according to a senior official at Dubai Municipality.

“Out of the 573 shawarma outlets in Dubai, 425 were found to be compliant with our hygiene rules, while seven were in the process of applying the requirements,” said Sultan Ali Al Tahir, Head of Food Inspection Section in the Food Safety Department of Dubai Municipality.

The outlets were shut down after Dubai Municipality recently imposed stringent requirements, which include the addition of 29 new conditions for the preparation and sale of shawarma.

Food establishments were given six months to make the necessary changes yet 141 shops did not manage to address the requirements.

The main problems discovered in shops included, improper storage of shawarma ingredients; leaving food out under high temperatures, especially as summer is approaching; not providing adequate space for separate placement of the various ingredients such as meat, chicken and vegetables that can lead to cross-contamination.

Other conditions being monitored are the placement of the shawarma machine and the preparation area, which should be indoors to prevent dust and external pollution from affecting the quality of the ingredients. “People working on the processing, preparation and sale of shawarma must be able to work comfortably at these locations,” said Al Tahir.

All food outlets should meet the requirements as specified by the Food Safety Department, he said.

New regulations

“The new conditions also include planning of the shawarma-making area and the distribution of equipment inside it. The area should be suitable for several main operations. Enough space should be provided to defrost the meat as well as for the preparation of shawarmas at various stages,” said Al Tahir.

Outlets should have sufficient space to store the necessary equipment and tools, and provide enough room for employees to work in, he emphasised.