DM steps up inspection of vehicles transporting food

According to Khalid Mohammed Sharif, Director of the Department, the Municipality in cooperation with the Roads and Transport Authority, is now informing all vehicles owners that they should obtain permission from the department's office in the Central Vegetable and Fruits Market in Warsan for registering or renewing the license of such vehicles.

Last year, food traders and suppliers were given a six month grace period to modify their existing fleet in line with a new set of technical specifications pertaining to vehicles transporting various food items. Since January 2008, some 3078 vehicles have been registered after enough modifications have been done on them.

"In future, we will be taking necessary action against vehicles that violate these rules. The department will cancel the vehicles' approval if they do not meet the health and hygiene requirements," Sharif said.

The municipality, in coordination with RTA, had prepared a Cod of Practice for vehicles carrying food stuff in a bid to rid the sector of bad practices such as using normal pick-ups and other vehicles in carrying vegetables and other perishable food items.

"Safe transportation of food items is the key to ensuring a hygiene supply of the materials to the consumer. Any negligence in this regard can cost the consumers dear," said Sharif.

Explaining the procedures for certifying food transportation vehicles, he said, all food establishments in Dubai must first submit an application in this regard to the Food Control Section, along with a copy of the Trade License, contact details (address, telephone numbers, email, contact person...etc), details and specifications of the vehicle (vehicle no., capacity, temperature control specifications...etc), health certificates for the staff including drivers, helpers, sales executives, and assistants with at least 3 months validity, employee training records, and specifying type of food items that will be carried in the vehicle (meat, chicken, fish, dairy products, vegetables or fruits). If the vehicles are licensed in other emirates than Dubai, then it must belong to a food supplier approved by Dubai Municipality.

The Municipality, in cooperation with the RTA, will inspect the vehicle at a specified location in Warsan and verify the documents to ensure their compliance with the stated requirements before issuing the final approval on the type of food that can be transported. Validity for such an approval, which will cost Dhs100, shall be for one year, following which the same procedures would be repeated. A sticker, in different colours depending on the type of food that is carried by each vehicle (green for vegetables, red for meat...etc), will be pasted in a visible place on the vehicle showing the validity of the license. The Food Control Section will cancel the approval if the food establishment in question does not meet the health and hygiene requirements.

"Our objective behind introducing this code is to root out the practice of using any vehicle to carry food items. Many traders say they use pick-up, for instance, to carry food for one or two hours. But, given the extreme weather conditions in summer, this is enough time to get the food contaminated," he said.