JEDDAH, 18 September 2004 — The Ministry of Commerce has initiated action against a number of expatriate workers after they were found selling 400 tons of food products whose sell-by date had long expired.
The Jeddah branch of the ministry acted after receiving a tip-off about a stock of outdated food inside some warehouses in south Jeddah. Expatriate workers were arranging the food products in new boxes to resell them in the market after altering their sell-by date.
Doctors said that such outdated food could cause food poisoning and a number of diseases, but it was not considered a major health hazard to humans. A source at the ministry said that the ministry has launched an inspection campaign covering more than 3,000 establishments and factories to make sure that only quality products are sold in the market.
