Jeddah Mayoralty teams last month inspected 2,659 shops to check their adherence to health and safety standards. Over 1,820 shops were found to be violating regulations laid down for public health safety and 365 shops were penalized for selling food items unfit for human consumption, Dr. Bashir Bin Mustafa Abu Najam of the mayoralty's Licensing and Surveillance division, said. The main task of the mayoralty, he said, is to monitor the maintenance of all hygienic standards. Accordingly, the mayoralty's public health division undertakes the intensive inspection of pharmacies, factories, hotels, restaurants, bakeries, meat shops, shops selling consumer goods, barber shops and store houses, the official said. During the inspection tours, about 1,414 kg of fish were also confiscated and several shopkeepers were arrested, Nasir Bin Muhammad Jarallah, Director General of Markets and Butcheries, said. Hundreds of cold storage trucks at public auction places and 522 pickups containing consumer goods were checked. Out of them 20 were found violating health regulations and were penalized, he said. The official also warned of strict action against shop owners violating public health safety regulations.
