المملكة: Urgent quad committee began an investigation into a food poisoning incident in a famous sweets series

Informed sources revealed to “Al -Youm” that the quadruple committee for poisoning accidents began an investigation into the incident of food poisoning suspected of more than 30 people after consuming products from one of the branches of a famous sweets store. This step comes within the framework of continuous efforts to ensure food safety and protect consumer health.
Health sources indicated that food poisoning, or foods transmitted through food results from eating contaminated foods, noting that bacteria are the main cause of more than 80% of cases globally, in addition to other pollutants such as viruses, parasites or natural toxins such as some types of toxic mushrooms.
The sources emphasized the great importance of global food poisoning issues; Due to the great social and economic pressures that food pollution causes on societies, which requires the formation of specialized committees to investigate facts in such incidents.
The sources stated that the secretariats take over the presidency of the epidemiological investigation committees in accordance with the ministerial decisions, with the aim of conducting the necessary studies to investigate the outbreak of food transmitted.
She pointed out that the relationship between the municipalities and other concerned authorities, which is the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Interior and the Food and Drug Authority, is an integrative relationship that works according to a specific mechanism detailed in the “Guide to the Controls of Sanctions of Food Poisoning Accidents”, and these parties often represent members of accumulated experience in dealing with these issues.
The sources indicated that in the event of a poisoning accident, the secretariats play a pivotal role that includes the inspection of the relevant facility to verify the application of health requirements and participate in the investigation to determine the causes of the accident.
She added that the work of the committee begins immediately after receiving reports from hospitals about cases of poisoning, as the Ministry of Health, which in turn, is notified of the members of the Quartet to move immediately to the site and start the epidemiological investigation process. This includes understanding the circumstances of the accident and reviewing the methods of preparing and serving food, or methods of manufacturing and storing suspected materials, in addition to taking samples of food, workers, surfaces and tools, and recording the testimonies of the injured.
The sources continued, explaining that the Ministry of Health then determines the type of microbe that causes poisoning in the injured, while the municipal laboratories and the food and medicine agency analyzes the samples taken from workers, food and places of preparation. Then the committee meets to study all aspects of the issue and link the relationship between the suspected food and all stages of its preparation and consumption, including conservation, cooling and rehearsal, and drawing a detailed plan for the preparation steps to determine the potential factors that contributed to the accident.
Accordingly, the committee issues its final report, including the conclusions and recommendations for the establishment of the establishment and the determination of the punishment, and this report is submitted to the Minister of Municipalities for approval, then the secretariat or the relevant municipality or the municipality is directed to implement the list of established penalties, which may include closure and imposing financial fines.
The sources pointed out that the increase in knowledge about the diseases transmitted by food and how to control and reduce them depends largely on the accuracy of monitoring, investigation and investigation into these incidents. The information extracted from the investigations of the committees is usually used by studying accidents over longer periods of time, in developing effective strategies to reduce the spread of these diseases, whether through immediate procedures or long -term improvements.
The sources noted the possibility of limiting these cases significantly, God willing, if the regulatory and supervisory authorities adopt strategies based on the principle of “prevention first” to reduce the risk of food pollution. She stressed the importance of extracting lessons from previous outbreaks and taking proactive steps to prevent their recurrence, with the participation of the food industry sector and food preparation facilities. This includes the intensification of sudden and undeclared health control, and spreading awareness through specialized awareness campaigns such as “summer and food safety” and “microbial pollution for food” and “food safety is everyone’s responsibility”, so that they eat poisoning causes, sources, symptoms and methods of prevention, in addition to the optimal health methods for preserving, equipping and circulating different foods. She also stressed the necessity of providing direct communication channels for consumers with the relevant agencies «the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Municipalities, the Food and Drug Authority, and the Public Health Center» to report violations or inquire about what is related to food and public health facilities.