Why your food stinks
"No one seems to care about food hygiene. If we saw this number of food poisoning cases in Germany, there would be national outrage. Here, it's not even public knowledge. There is a conspiracy of silence between the health services, the food outlets and the press."
That's the damning verdict of one family doctor in Doha. "This should be our quietest time of the year, when temperatures are at their lowest, but the numbers are holding steady. That says to me that there's a systemic problem with food hygiene in Qatar."
The doctor, who asked not to be named, thinks the problem is being ignored at the highest levels. "There are a flock of starlings living in the Giant supermarket at Hyatt Plaza. When you complain to the staff, they shrug their shoulders and say there are holes in the roof. When you contact the municipality, nothing happens. When you go to the newspapers, they tell you to write a letter. No one is willing to act against businesses who are risking public health."
A recent poster campaign urging consumers to thoroughly cook their food is badly targetted, he complains. "The authorities need to start swabbing supermarkets and fast-food outlets, every week, until the number of cases is reduced."
Mega-mart was shut down twice by the municipality. I haven't seen any improvement in hygiene
I guess we should see whether there's still a flock of birds flying around Giant next week. It's fine shutting down six joints [yesterday, last month, or over a whole year?], but it's impossible to know whether what they're doing is sufficient to fight the food-poisoning problem. I guess the only people who really know the scale of the problem is the NHA.
my food stinkss bcoz sometimezz its 2,3 weekss old....lolzzz
So the municipality are doing their job, right?
Good work Baladiya....
Doha Municipality have responded to these allegations here:
http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&month=December2008&file=Local_News2008122651218.xml
Small outlets are also required to undergo annual medical check up to make sure that they're free from food contaminated disease. Food preparations and food storage should also follows upto standards as per Municipality rules and regulations.
I knew some stablishment and restaurants were being charged & shut down for a certain period for violating some rules. Example, a piece of cockroach found in it will results in Qr500 + a 3 day suspensions.
And since the increased number of small and big food outlets in town, I personally believe that there should be an increase of Municipal Employees & Health Inspector and also an increase in the amount of penalties for violators will find solution to this.
double post
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"There's this thing called being so open-minded your brains drop out". - Richard Dawkins
I am not looking forward to coming back there next week to do my first shop of the year for expensive crap.
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"There's this thing called being so open-minded your brains drop out". - Richard Dawkins
The big supermarkets are also guilty of being negligent: the ice cream in Carrefour is often soft and clearly already melted. Once I informed a supervisor, he looked concerned and,to demonstrate his surprise, stared at the ice cream for a few moments. But it still remains partially unfrozen, and the suspicion must be that even if it is hard, because it's right at the bottom, it has previously melted and then refrozen. I'm sure its the same with the frozen chicken. Carrefour know there is a problem, so must decided NOT to turn the freezer temperature down to a level where the food would be safe.
When I first came to Doha, the eggs in the supermarkets weren't refrigerated.
And speaking of Hot Bread Bakery...once my hubby brought home a package of bread from there that had BLOOD on it. Ewwww, it makes me sick just thinking about it. Hope I didn't spoil anyone's breakfast :-(
There are certain rules and regulations in food preparation and food storage that are a MUST to follows.
In big hotels, the Health Authorities and Municipal people(Baladiya) are frequently in action to monitor that every rules are to be followed. There is penalties for every violations in terms of money and suspension. Food Handlers are rest assured that they are free from any food contaminated disease during their annual medical check-up and its a mandatory for them to obtain a Food Handler Certificate from the Rumaillah Food Handler's Dept., And they should be given proper training regarding food handlings & preparations, a visual aids and group lectures are advisable and recommended.
Couple of times I noticed in hot bread bakery in Najma near Gulf Cinema where I usually go to buy bread daily that Cockroaches are walking in the corners. I informed one of the staff there to remove those. He was not interested to notice. So few days latter I saw hot bread bakery was closed and I think baladiya had closed. It was a good decision made by the health ministry but I hope once they open those places again they should be regularly rechecked to make sure they keep maintaining the environment. Any how ministry of health is putting good efforts in it but I think they have to speed up.
Hope things get better.
Peace.
its the small cafetarias and shops that are the guilty parties...
"if you don't like the heat... get out of the kitchen... but stop trying to fan the flames before you leave... it will burn you on the a** as you go through the doorway...." ME
visit www.qaws.org
lol @ "cola kills pretty much anything"
Good tip about the heavily frequented stalls - though I go to Pizza Express at Landmark precisely because it's never heavily frequently, ensuring highly attentive and speedy service. In fact, last night was the busiest I've ever experienced - 4 tables in use - and I was disgusted that my glass of Fanta wasn't re-filled before I'd reached the bottom.
Another quick food tip (which I'm sure a few of you will disagree with); You should always order your beef burgers well done (unless you're French, in which case you'll have already built up an immunity to raw mince meat).
Those posters made me chuckle. And the signs in the supermarkets about making sure frozen food is kept frozen.
You forget how much we take for granted in our own countries.
I had food poisonings regularly in Doha, I totally agree with the post here. The quality of food both raw and cooked which is sold in Doha is mostly poor, often atrocious, and rarely adequate.
Couple of time I took ready food from Lulu Hyper and I end up having food poisioning. It do look good when you see but its really not good for health.
I am just giving my opinion. May be yours differ.
Peace.