Get generators or face closure - FDA tells cold store operators

The Food and Drugs Authority has directed operators of cold stores to acquire stand-by generators so as to ensure constant power supply to keep their products frozen and protected from bacteria.

The directive is aimed at protecting the public from consuming decomposed fish and meat products during the load shedding period.

Head of the Animal products and Bio-safety Department of the FDA, Dr Mohammed Alfa told XYZ News that failure by the operators to comply with the directive will attract severe sanctions including closure of the stores.

“The products that are being handled by the cold storage industry are highly perishable, we are talking about fish, chicken, meat; if we don’t keep them under the appropriate temperature regime they will go bad.

“Considering the fact that we don’t have constant supply of energy from the national grid it is only appropriate for us as a regulatory body to ensure that those who wish to be in the cold storage will take additional measures to the products that they store”.