01-07-2025
Abu Dhabi closes food trading business for risk to public health
The emirate often inspects establishments including restaurants, food trading, groceries, and other businesses that deal with food in any manner
Abu Dhabi closed MS Food Trading for violating a law related to food, and posing a risk to public health.
The emirate often inspects establishments including restaurants, food trading, groceries, and other businesses that deal with food in any manner.
The administrative closure order by Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (Adafsa) comes after the establishment was found in violation of Law No. (2) of 2008.
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Is the closure permanent?
According to the law, officials may close the establishment "until the owner overcomes the violation or a final court decision is issued by the court".
In all cases, the establishment shall not be re-opened unless an official approval is issued by the Authority.
What is considered a food violation?
Food is considered harmful to health in a variety of cases, including if the food contains poisonous material, high pesticide residues, banned food additives, radioactive contamination, harmful allergens, or hormones with high veterinary or other residues.
If the food is expired, contaminated with bacteria, worms, handled in conditions with exposure to cross contamination or comes from a sick animal or one that died prior to slaughtering, this also constitutes a violation.
In addition, several provisions list types of misleading labels and food adulterated with different kinds of substances which may lead to the closure of the establishment.
