Muscat bans salads with Arabic sandwiches

In what is seen as a major move, the sale of "shawarma" (traditional Arabic) sandwiches made with salads has been banned in summer to avoid possible health problems.

Muscat Municipality said food inspectors have observed during visits to eateries serving shawarmas that the green salad is invariably kept close to the meat roasting place, which is not desirable for health reasons when temperatures are high.

"To ensure food safety and avoid an occurrence of health problems, the municipality has taken this decision which will be binding on restaurants and cafeterias in Muscat and Sohar cities."

A senior official told Gulf News that inspection teams have been formed to undertake raids to ensure a complete implementation of the decision and violators will be dealt with sternly.

He said the authorities in Oman have always been quick to act to thwart threatening diseases like foot-and-mouth and mad cow. He said the recent ban on sheesha smoking has produced results.

"The sheesha was banned six years ago, but the restriction was eased during Ramadan. The facility provided a loophole for hotels, restaurants and cafeterias to run it round the year, prompting a clear cut order early this year that this kind of smoking is prohibited and offenders will be taken to task."