The holy month of Ramadan is not only fasting but also about showing restraint in each and every aspect of personal as well as public lives. With Ramadan approaching, restaurants and food establishments across Dubai have been warned to take approval from Dubai Municipality before selling and displaying snacks outside their shops.
Khalid Sharif, director of food control department at Dubai Municipality said that people are very fond of snack items to be included in their iftar items, and there have been cases where they forget what time they bought it and what levels of safety and hygiene they are kept in.
Food items can be displayed and sold at least two hours before iftar, and goods are not allowed to be sold outside the shops’ premises after iftar. The food control department has published the rules in different languages, such as Arabic, English, Urdu and Malayalam, in order to ensure that all communities in the city have been reached.
Sharif further added that it is a tradition to display and sell foods outside the establishments during Ramadan. But without prior approval from the food control department, no food establishment will be allowed to display or sell snacks outside their premises.
All food items should be displayed in closed food cabinets that are suitable for food display and storage. Display cabinets must be located in a suitable place adequately protected from external contaminants.
The instructions issued by the food control department have been directed to all restaurants, cafeterias, sweet shops, bakeries and catering companies operating across the emirate.
So, if you are a non-fasting Muslim or a non-Muslim, you have to abide by the socio-religious norms as this is the best prescribed way of living a harmony and tolerance. Happy Ramadan!
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