Abu Faour Refers Food Safety Case to Prosecution, Orders Closure of 3 Firms in Beirut
Health Minister Wael Abu Faour on Friday referred the food safety scandal to the public prosecutor and asked the interior minister to shut down three violating firms in Beirut and its southern suburbs.
The minister ordered “taking all measures necessary to forbid the sale of meat – kafta, minced meat, soujouk and basterma – at the al-Natour Butchery in Ras Beirut, and to seize the manufacturing, mincing and mixing machines,” state-run National News Agency reported.
Citing a report by the health ministry's inspection department, NNA said al-Natour's meat products contained “harmful bacteria.”
The report described hygiene conditions at the butchery as “disastrous.”
In October 2013, two owners of the al-Natour food company were sentenced to three years in prison on charges of processing and selling spoiled meat and other foodstuffs.
In March 2012, the Ministry of Economy’s Consumer Protection Directorate raided a warehouse owned by al-Natour brothers in the Sabra area in Tariq al-Jedideh, where 25 tons of expired meat were confiscated.
Abu Faour also ordered a 5-day closure of the Malak al-Batata Restaurant in Beirut's Hamra Street after the health ministry's inspectors determined that the fast food place did not meet “some of the health conditions related to food safety and general hygiene.”
Turning to Beirut's southern suburbs, the minister asked the interior ministry to “dispose of all products at the Abboud Chicken store in the Sfeir area and to close the shop until new samples are examined, since the analyzed specimens did not meet the proper health conditions.”
Earlier on Friday, Abo Faour held a press conference at the Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute in Fanar, after inspecting the institute's laboratory.
The minister dismissed accusations made in recent days that the samples taken by the ministry's inspectors were not handled, stored and transferred in a proper manner.
“We only accept valid samples and we dismiss the invalid ones. Therefore all the results we announced were based on samples that met the proper conditions of storing and transportation,” Abu Faour added, noting that the specimens were transferred “in special refrigerators and the results were accurate.”
“We came here to respond through science and to put an end to 'political and commercial prostitution',” said the minister, hitting back at those who criticized him after he raised the alarm over food safety in the country.
Abu Faour also revealed that he was "shocked" by the health and hygiene conditions at chicken farms and butcheries.
"Major butcheries were shut down and we'll take measures against firms selling unhealthy water," he added.
Abu Faour had stressed in comments published Friday in As Safir newspaper that the ministry's health inspectors have the authority of a judicial officer.
The minister emphasized that the ministry's inspectors will continue their tours on restaurants and shops to reveal violators.
Abu Faour, who is the aide of Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat, considered that the political stances came in favor of his campaign “without any exceptions.”
He noted that “Jumblat insisted on being informed of the laboratory results before announcing violators in each stage.”
Abou Faour told the newspaper that he will continue to pursue the food safety law until the parliament endorses it, adding that Speaker Nabih Berri gave him positive signs in this regard.
On Thursday, Abou Faour lashed out at ministers and officials who criticized his ministry's food safety battle, adding new names to the list of violating institutions.
But his statements were met with a sharp reply from Tourism Minister Michel Pharaon, who said that the Health Ministry should be held accountable like the rest of the food safety violators, slamming Abou Faour's method in dealing with the scandal.
On Tuesday, Abu Faour announced that some popular restaurant chains and supermarkets are serving customers food contaminated with bacteria and other inedible substances.
Other violations included "the presence of flies on the refrigerators of dairy products, the presence of open garbage bins in kitchens, workers not wearing gloves, and frying oil that was not changed for months," he said.
On Thursday, fines were slapped on 39 violating establishments.
Abou Faour also revealed to As Safir that he will kick off a battle next week against illegal water companies.
Y.R./H.K.
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