Inspectors release report into supermarket meat counter closures

SUPERMARKET CHAIN: Carrefour in Abu Dhabi's Marina Mall was closed for three days. (Getty Images)

Health inspectors revealed on Monday that they closed down meat counters at two major Abu Dhabi supermarkets in the past two months for relabelling and selling out of date products.

Lulu Hypermarket in Al Wahda Mall and Carrefour in Marina Mall were named in a report by Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) – the first time such a report has been released.

Violations included altering the sell-by dates on products and mixing old meat with new for sale, according to a report in the National.

Mohamed al Reyaysa, a spokesman for the ADFCA, told the paper: “We have a red line that we don’t want anybody to consume any food that is below our health and safety standards.”

According to the report, inspectors found meat past its sell-by date on sale in Carrefour as well as workers defrosting chicken in water.

“There are different meats which are repackaged by removing the old package and placing it in a new package with a new production and expiry date, or mixing it with new meat,” the report said.

The counter was shut for three days in June and the authority destroyed 58kg of meat products, the paper reported. Carrefour could not be contacted for comment.

Inspectors also found meat past its sell-by date on sale at Lulu Hypermarket and that dates on cans of meat had been altered, according to the report.

Inspectors also found by-products from the deboning process, which are not fit for human consumption, in minced meat products for sale.

The counter was closed for three days in July.

A spokesman for Lulu said the company was working on improving standards.

“There have been a total of 43 visits to our store by ADFCA officials to date this year and only on three occasions have they found violations on our part,” he said.

“We have taken serious note of these issues and have done a thorough investigation of the whole procedure to rectify any hitches.”

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READERS' COMMENTS

Cold Cuts
Posted by carol, Dubai, UAE on Friday 7 August 2009 at 11:47 UAE time


Many times in the past years i have found the roles of cold cuts labels expired in the frig and the employees are slicing them, repackaging and displaying them in another counter as sliced with new labels of the date it was cut only. So read the role before you order cold cuts!

Go to Aweer & Check
Posted by Pradeep Naik, UAQ, UAE on Wednesday 5 August 2009 at 14:48 UAE time

Check the vegetable market in Aweer & see how they are selling the rotten stuff. No packing control, no fridge temp. checking, no expiry dates considered, fresh veg & many many expired not worth eating & selling staff they are selling day & night.

Lulu sells rotten tomatoes at Lulu Village at Muhaisnah
Posted by Nick, Dubai, UAE on Tuesday 4 August 2009 at 16:36 UAE time


I was at Lulu Village at Muhaisnah in Dubai yesterday and was horrified to see rotten tomatoes being displayed for sale and with flies hovering around them. When an employee around the vegetable section was informed he started cleaning the entire lot. Isn't it strange how can they even think about selling rotten stuff?? And of course the tactic used was to sell them in the evening when the chances of the authorities to inspection will be minimal..Hope businesses can be more considerate and understand what it means to be hygienic and healthy!!

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