JEDDAH — The municipality in Jeddah has closed down a total of 2,745 restaurants and cafeterias and documented violations in over 9,200 other locations during a four-month campaign that covered 16,000 businesses serving food around the city. Spokesman for Jeddah Municipality Mohammad Al-Bougami said the city's regional municipalities have documented various violations that range from opening a shop without getting the necessary authorization, using expired products and not specifying expiry dates on items. He noted they have documented that some products that had been modified in terms of color, smell or taste were being used. Some shops, added Al-Bougami, were not adhering to storage rules and other restaurants were using bathrooms to store and prepare food. Violations also included employing workers who had expired health licenses or none at all. The spokesman said the municipality was keen to ensure food safety for Jeddah residents. He noted that they would prosecute violators without fail. “Some restaurants have opened despite us closing them. “We have closed them again and fined the owners.” Al-Bougami added the municipality would continue to monitor the food industry and highlighted the role of the public in documenting violations at restaurants and reporting them to the municipality. The investigations were led by the local municipal authorities in cooperation with the city municipality's license and censorship department.
