“Climate Change and Environment” investigates the “beef pepperoni” contamination incident.

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment confirmed the follow-up and investigation of the incident of contamination of a “beef pepperoni” product with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria, in cooperation with all local regulatory authorities in the country, and the Saudi Food and Drug Authority in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Coordination is also being made with the producing company to precautionally withdraw the product in question from the UAE market until laboratory examinations are completed and the details of the incident are verified.

The Assistant Undersecretary for the Food Diversity Sector at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Dr. Muhammad Salman Al Hammadi, confirmed that the Ministry is working with various competent authorities in the country to apply the highest food safety standards to all food items in the country’s markets, whether produced locally or imported from abroad.

He explained that the Ministry is currently intensifying its investigations into the aforementioned product to ensure its suitability for consumption as soon as possible. He said that laboratory and field work teams are currently working on taking more samples to test them in specialized laboratories, coinciding with the removal of the product from all markets in the country.

He stressed the keenness of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment to take all measures to enhance food safety, within the framework of its contributions to community protection, which represents a top priority, as the concerned authorities work to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of products and protect the consumer from any food risks.

As part of the efforts made to ensure food safety, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment confirmed the existence of the Gulf Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed, which aims to exchange information immediately about foods that are harmful to health between the countries of the Arabian Gulf. The system is implemented according to a unified methodology and mechanism that ensures rapid response, which enhances the ability of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries to take preventive measures and effectively protect the health of consumers.

Dr. Mohammed Al Hammadi:

. Laboratory and field teams are currently working on taking more samples to test them in specialized laboratories.