JEDDAH, 21 March 2004 — A south Jeddah municipality task force confiscated 15 tons of food past its sell-by date last weekend, according to Al-Watan newspaper.
After receiving a flood of complaints from residents in the area, Passports Department officials accompanied the 50-member plus task force to swoop on a local market. The raid led to the detention of eight African nationals, five of which had valid work visas.
The Sawareekh Souk in south Jeddah plays host every Friday after morning prayers and until 9 a.m. to hundreds of individuals of diverse nationalities, mostly African, who sell anything from used clothing to food and beverages past their sell-by date.
People flock to the area for the bargains. A 10-kg sack of rice, worth SR40 in a regular store, is on sale at the Sawareekh Souq at a mere SR10.
At the urging of residents, Ministry of Health officials have quarantined and disinfected the area.
Officials are also investigating the warehouses the confiscated goods came from. Authorities had received a tip-off that the unloading of the seemingly unsaleable goods is being done with the full support of factory owners.
The Environmental Protection Agency at the Ministry of Municipality and Rural Affairs is responsible for food sanitation laws and guidelines, but products already in the market are monitored by inspectors at the municipality levels.
The authorities inspect retailers, wholesalers, restaurants, bakeries, fast-food chains, vegetable and meat markets for sell-by dates, sanitary and storage conditions as well as product handling. Outlets found selling unhygienic or expired products are liable to stiff fines, temporary closure or both.
