Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Supply of substandard snacks in Jeddah reaches its peak during the holy month of Ramadan. Fasting people are more likely to experience a natural attraction toward impressive "Iftar" displayed by street-side vendors and some restaurants especially Asian ethnic food outlets. Since preparation and sale of substandard food is already considered a violation of public health, it is beyond comprehension that illicit food outlets find it amusing to exploit the enthusiasm and exhausting condition of the fasting people. The use of substandard cooking oil for frying edibles has started with the first day of Ramadan. In fact, food business reaches its highest peak in the holy month as consumption of all kinds of food items especially fried ones surge in the Kingdom. Breaking of fast is often ethnic choice that chooses menus. For Iftar, samosa is the most sought after snack after dates among any ethnic background people. Samosa is mostly substandard snack that is made and sold during Ramadan. From leaves of samosa, stuffing spices, minced meat, vegetables or lentils to frying oil, many of its ingredients are below prescribed standards but that being sold randomly. Authorities are mainly focusing on samosa leaves in Jeddah city as well as two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. In a single inspection of food production facility, Jeddah Municipality last week seized more than 3 ton of samosa leaves produced from expired date of fine floor. Public health section officials from Jeddah Municipality are working round-the-clock to carry out inspections at food outlets and also production facilities, according to officials. In a latest raid on a bakery in the city, task force of multiple officials confiscated 23,000 samosa leafs besides 2.7 ton of Kunafa. "We have been conducting inspections at food manufacturing units across the Kingdom that exploit public demand during the month of Ramadan," said a Ministry of Commerce and Investments statement after the raid. Besides various public health authorities and municipalities, for the first time, road security patrols are also inspecting vehicles carrying food, especially into Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah. They too seized samosa leafs and referred them to Makkah municipal authorities to be sent to laboratory for testing. Road security patrols stationed on highways also seized some vehicles transporting substandard samosa leafs and also other food items. The ministry of municipal and rural affairs has been monitoring the Ramadan food inspection campaign on daily basis where it is focusing on Makkah and Madinah, besides other parts of the Kingdom. Almost all municipalities in the Kingdom have been confiscating daily huge quantity of samosa leafs.
