Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — The municipality has closed down some 473 eateries for various violations, according to municipal sources.

They said the establishments were closed down as part of a municipal control campaign launched by the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs in all parts of the Kingdom to ensure that food establishments are strictly observing hygienic guidelines.

The municipality conducted as many as 3,134 inspection tours on food establishments in 19 branch municipalities during the third week of the holy month of Ramadan.

The sources said the violating establishments consisted of restaurants, kitchens, eateries, cafeterias, seasonal kiosks and meat shops.

They said the municipality warned a total of 1,596 establishments to improve their conditions and correct violations, destroyed more than 734 kg of rotten vegetables and arrested about 350 street vendors.

The sources said the violations included selling contaminated or foodstuffs of unknown origin, bad storage, employing expatriate workers with no health certificates and practicing trade without proper licenses.