More than a third of all food products tested in Sharjah are not safe to eat, the emirate’s municipality has admitted. In April, tests on 2,966 random samples of soft drinks, milk, dairy products, grains, drinking water and poultry showed 33 per cent of it was unfit for human consumption due to bacteria, chemicals and other contaminants, a municipality report released yesterday showed.
A third of all samples collected in Sharjah from food processing companies, factories and shops selling food products - both imported and produced locally - were below international safety and quality standards. Fourteen food producers were sent official warnings by the municipality after 174 tests carried out in April showed the presence of bacteria or high levels of chemicals such as chlorine and sodium in the failed samples.
Some products were also found to contain prohibited preservatives or even unidentifiable components, while others had two conflicting expiration dates printed on the packaging. Sharjah municipality refused to disclose the names of producers who received the warning but said the failed products were immediately pulled from shelves.
And despite the seemingly high figure of sub-standard food products and the threat that represents to consumers, the municipality says that the results show a marked improvement in food standards in the emirate. “This actually marks an improvement from previous months when the percentage of defective products sometimes went as high as 49 per cent,” said a spokesperson at Sharjah municipality.
Advanced technology and sophisticated testing techniques used at Sharjah laboratories can be credited for higher and more accurate detection of chemical and bacterial defects, the spokesperson added. Food producers or sellers found in violation of quality standards could face warnings, fines and even closure in case of repeat violations.