Jeddah Municipality shuts down an illegal ice cream factory in Buraiman and confiscates the seized goods
As part of its ongoing efforts to enhance municipal oversight and protect public health, the Jeddah Municipality that the inspection teams of the Breiman Sub-Municipality were able to seize and close an illegal random factory, which was being used by expatriate workers to prepare and produce ice cream inside a residential site, away from the eyes of oversight and lacking the minimum health and regulatory requirements.
Details of the seizure and observed violations
The Director General of Monitoring and Addressing Negative Phenomena at the Municipality, Yasser bin Siraj Bakhsh, explained that this operation is part of a broader campaign aimed at eliminating municipal violations and reducing negative phenomena that affect the quality of life. The raid uncovered a site operating in rudimentary and haphazard ways to prepare ice cream. Inspection teams observed a significant decline in general hygiene standards, poor storage of raw materials, and the use of contaminated and unfit equipment. Bakhsh confirmed that the inspection teams immediately confiscated and destroyed all the seized quantities before they could reach markets and shops for distribution, thus protecting consumers.
The risks of food from unknown sources to public health
This seizure is particularly significant given the nature of the product; dairy products and ice cream are considered high-risk foods and are extremely sensitive to storage and preparation conditions. Manufacturing these products in unsterile environments and in premises lacking the necessary industrial equipment exposes consumers to serious health risks, including food poisoning and infection with harmful bacteria such as salmonella and listeria. Health authorities consistently emphasize the importance of verifying food sources, as unlicensed facilities do not adhere to the pasteurization and sterilization processes necessary to kill microbes, making their products ticking time bombs that threaten public health, especially that of children, who are the primary consumers of ice cream.
Integrating regulatory efforts with the Food and Drug Authority
In a related context, Bakhsh indicated that the Saudi Food and Drug Authority ( SFDA) immediately inspected the site upon receiving the report and took all necessary measures within its jurisdiction to ensure food safety. For its part, the Buraiman Municipality closed the residential building that had been converted into a commercial establishment without a municipal license, a clear violation of regulations governing the use of properties within residential neighborhoods.
Continued campaigns and enforcement of sanctions
The Jeddah Municipality concluded its statement by affirming its commitment to continuing intensive inspection tours in cooperation with relevant security and government agencies to track down violators and strictly enforce municipal penalties and fines. The Municipality calls upon all citizens and residents to cooperate by reporting any observations or health violations through the unified reporting center 940 or via the “Baladi” application, emphasizing that community awareness is the first line of defense against these haphazard practices.
