Nurses open water bottle to find cockroach

Ras Al Khaimah: A group of nurses from a public hospital yesterday lodged a complaint against two major water companies.

The municipality imposed a fine on the first company and said more legal measures will be taken against it. It also summoned the director general of the other firm.

The nurses had purchased a carton of water for personal consumption but were shocked to find the company's paper label inside a bottle of water. One of them found some contamination in another bottle. The nurses purchased another carton of water bottles of a different company but found a cockroach in the first bottle.

Surprise visit

The inspectors seized the two cartons from the hospital. Tests showed water from both the samples was not fit for human consumption.

The inspectors paid surprise visits to the companies and tested the bottled water. They found a number of violations.

The inspectors ordered the director general of the first company to accompany them to the municipality.

Mubarak Ali Al Shamsi, Director General of the municipality, said hefty penalty was imposed on the first firm and more legal measures will be taken against it after further investigation.

Al Shamsi said that the director general of the second company was not present when the inspectors visited it but he has been summoned to the municipality.

Spoilt chocolate seized from bakery

The liquid chocolate used in making cake at a bakery of a popular shopping mall in Ras Al Khaimah was found to have expired yesterday. Civic inspectors scanned the bakery and seized the expired chocolate. The municipality issued the mall a warning letter along with other legal measures to be taken against it.

The municipality had received a number of complaints against the bakery which prepares huge quantities of the cake daily.

The inspectors tested the foodstuff and ingredients the bakers used but suspected the liquid chocolate. The inspectors found chocolate was past the expiry date. The inspectors seized the bottles of liquid chocolate and tested similar types of chocolate bars in the mall. They found that nuts in the bars had decayed.

Ok, you have just told us that the bottle contained a cockroach, now we as consumers need to know the name of this company, that is what free media is - not just saying something that happened and then not letting us decide if we want to continue buying this water or not. This is sick and disgusting.
Wahid
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: August 16, 2007, 09:20

I think that when such articles are printed, it is the duty of the press to inform us which company was these water bottles from, in order for the public to take caution and not purchase them. In this scenario, I am afraid of buying any water bottle, because I am not sure if I will find a cockroach in it or if it is "not fit for human consumption"!!
Behin
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 16, 2007, 09:18

Please be more specific; such violators must be named and shamed. The stories we started hearing about drinking water are becoming extensive and should be highlighted with more transparency.
Tariq
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: August 16, 2007, 09:00

These companies should be named by the municipality so that we as consumers can protect ourselves by not consuming their products. I'm reading this article right now and wondering what if this is the same water that my family uses or the same bakery from where I bought a cake for my child's birthday. Please name the companies!
Zainab
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 16, 2007, 08:57

Name and shame the companies. It is not right that companies hide behind the papers - people have a right to know if bottled water companies are not ensuring that their product is 100% safe.
Rachael
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 16, 2007, 08:40

I strongly believe we have the right to know the names of these companies as we are also bound to face such dangers. The bottled water industry in the UAE is one of the largest per capita and only the best should supply us. Strict and regular inspections should be made of these companies and not only when a contamination is reported.
Aladdin
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 16, 2007, 08:35

The name of the bottled water company should have been indicated and divulged in the newspaper, so that we the consumer will be aware of such brand.
Ernesto
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 16, 2007, 08:27

Shouldn't the public be told which companies have been named as the offenders? Shouldn't that be the point of the report?
Leslie
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 16, 2007, 08:22