Okaz/Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — The municipality's inspectors exert extensive efforts to protect public health and punish violators of the law, said Muhammad Al-Bogami, spokesman for Jeddah Municipality. All inspectors have tools that they can use to test food and ensure it is safe for human consumption, he said. The inspectors take samples from food, whenever they have doubt, and run the samples in specialized laboratories at the municipality to ensure the food does not pose any threat to public health. "We distribute pamphlets to raise the awareness among restaurant workers on the importance of complying with health requirements and using safe methods to prepare and serve food to consumers. If a restaurant violates these requirements, it will be shut down immediately and fined," Al-Bogami explained. The municipality provides restaurant workers with educational courses every three years and require them to pass the courses in order to have their health cards renewed. Al-Bogami urged the general public to report violations by calling 940 at any time in the day or night. The inspectors run morning and evening visits at restaurants and food establishments in Jeddah and monitor the methods used for preparing food and serving them to consumers, in addition to ensuring that the workers wear gloves and masks and covered their heads. Violators will be fined while the business will be closed temporarily for 15 days, Al-Bogami said.
