The safety of Perrier water products being sold in Abu Dhabi markets is not in question, authorities asserted on Sunday.
The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) reassured consumers in the emirate that it is taking all necessary measures and procedures to prevent any unsafe and unhealthy products from reaching the emirate’s markets.
The authority stressed that all food products in circulation are subject to strict control throughout the supply chain. The same applies to imported food products at various ports, where no product is allowed to enter unless it meets the approved specifications.
Earlier, Nestle said it had stepped up monitoring after warnings by French regulators about the quality of its bottled mineral water brands including Perrier. The move came after revelations that France’s food safety watchdog had recommended stricter monitoring of sites where Nestle extracts mineral water after traces of ‘faecal’ contamination were found.
The recommendation, made to the health ministry last year, comes on top of an investigation by prosecutors into allegations that Nestle used illegal treatment to purify its mineral waters.
In addition, every food product undergoes inspection and sampling at sales centres to ensure that it is fit for consumption.
It also emphasised the importance of consumers’ confidence in the quality of food sold in local markets, whether locally produced or imported from abroad.