People call for transparency as concerns mount over food poisoning and safety
Officials close some restaurants Ministry refutes rumors
KUWAIT: People in Kuwait have called the government on social media to disclose the names of restaurants involved in recent food safety violations across the country. This followed several official announcements of closing local and international restaurants for selling food unfit for human consumption, leading to cases of food poisoning.
The Kuwaiti Ministry of Health has stated that these cases have been addressed, with nearly all affected individuals recovering. Additionally, the Ministry has refuted rumors of schistosomiasis disease spreading in the country, confirming no reported cases. It clarified that schistosomiasis, a parasite, is typically transmitted through swimming in contaminated freshwater. However, the Ministry has not yet announced the specific causes behind the recent contamination incidents.
Alaa Abdallah, a Kuwaiti citizen, has echoed the public calling of disclosing restaurants’ names, perceiving public health as more important than the restaurants’ reputation. Last week, Abdullah was diagnosed with food poisoning and gastroenteritis after consuming dessert and Arabic coffee at one of the recently closed international restaurant chains.
‘Tasted like plastic’
She described her experience, saying, “the coffee tasted like plastic and had a stale taste, possibly from being stored for too long and boiled multiple times to mask the flavor.” When she went to the clinic to take a drip, the nurse told her that she met several similar cases on that day approaching from the same restaurant. Similarly, a British expat recently diagnosed with gastroenteritis, shared with Kuwait Times his experience of eating a meat burger at another international fast-food chain under scrutiny for food contamination. He said, “I had to leave work early the next day because of vomiting and diarrhea.” His experience was followed up by visiting a hospital and receiving the necessary treatment.
During the same period, more restaurants were also under scrutiny. The Public Authority for Food and Nutrition has shut down multiple restaurants in Al-Mubarakiya due to 20 violations of food standards, including the discovery of 1,275 rotten eggs. These violations also included selling spoiled food, altering its natural properties in terms of color, shape, and smell, and selling food unfit for human consumption containing worms and larvae. Additionally, workers were found handling food without valid health certificates, non-compliance with the rules and requirements of general hygiene during work.
How to file a complaint
Abdulaziz Alkhubaizi, a nutrition expert and research associate at Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, explained that failure to adhere to necessary hygiene standards could result in food-borne pathogens being transmitted from food handlers to the food itself, and subsequently to customers. He added that among the reasons could be restaurants’ failure to properly manage food storage or transportation, potentially not adhering to regulations that ensure food safety, especially under extreme heat conditions. Haya AlMaqroun, head of PR and communication of Consumer Protection Association in Kuwait encouraged consumers facing any food poisoning incidents in restaurants to file a complaint through the authority’s WhatsApp at 1807770.
The authority then follows it up until it reaches court, aiming to obtain financial compensation for the individuals affected, along with penalties on restaurants that may lead to closure. She stated that the association is continuously monitoring product qualities to ensure that all items available on shelves meet the highest standards of quality and safety to avoid any health risks that may arise from consuming expired or unfit products. She added that the association collaborates with suppliers and restaurants to ensure that fresh products reach consumers.