JFDA conducts over 7,000 inspections during Ramadan, Eid

AMMAN — The Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) has said it issued thousands of warnings and closed or suspended hundreds of businesses for violating health standards during Ramadan and Eid Al Fitr.

JFDA officers conducted 7,373 field visits during Ramadan and the holiday that follows the fasting month, Eid Al Fitr, the authority said in a statement e-mailed to The Jordan Times.  

During 5,074 field visits in Ramadan, health inspectors issued 3,834 warnings, referred 179 businesses to court, closed 343 businesses and destroyed 324 tonnes of spoiled food.

Some 17.7 per cent of the warnings, suspensions and closures were issued because of the presence of insects, 7.1 per cent due to lack of hygiene and 14.7 per cent because premises were breaching their permitted uses, JFDA Director General Hayel Obeidat said.

In Amman, the JFDA recorded the highest number of violations in four years, with 1,266 warnings issued in Ramadan, 136 businesses referred to court, 207 tonnes of spoiled food destroyed, 54 establishments closed down and 287 suspended during 1,985 field visits. 

Despite the rise in the number of field visits conducted and warnings issued, the number of businesses referred to court dropped in 2016, according to the JDFA figures, which indicated that 192 places were referred for judicial proceedings in 2014.  

The number of closures in Amman during Ramadan also declined compared with 2014, when 154 institutions were shut down.  

During Eid Al Fitr, some 91.4 per cent of the violations recorded were in food outlets, while 5.7 per cent were in shops selling sweets and 2.9 per cent were in bakeries, Obeidat said.