A restaurant in Ras Al Khaimah has been fine Dh100,000 for contravening food safety regulations after a diner found a cockroach in her seafood soup. The case was brought to light when the customer, who ordered the soup, spotted the insect and immediately reported it to the authorities. The Ras Al Khaimah Misdemeanours Court convicted the restaurant of distributing harmful food to the health and serving spoiled seafood.
The investigation found that the conditions in the restaurant’s kitchen were unsanitary, such as oily surfaces, unsanitary means of food preparation, and even cockroaches and houseflies. The owner was charged and handed the Dh100,000 fine, while an employee was also charged, with the fine Dh5,000, together with other fines connected to this crime. It also falsely advertised unfit food to the customer.
This case points to the need to uphold high hygiene standards in food-related places as a means of preventing public health cases. The public has been appealed to report instances of food-related hazards to minimize the risk of occurrences in the future.
