Hamad al-Maliki, chief of the food inspection section of Doha Municipality, has informed that 8,000 units of Al Watania (Saudi Arabia) fresh chicken have been withdrawn from markets and malls after an examination revealed that the chicken contains salmonella bacteria and is unfit for human consumption, local Arabic daily Arrayah has reported.
Al-Maliki told Arrayah that they have decided to ask the local company to stop importing consignments of Al Watania for now and other samples of the firm’s products will also be examined to confirm if they are suitable for consumption. The seized fresh chicken units include whole chicken, breasts and legs, he added.
According to al-Maliki, the matter came to light when the food inspection section received a complaint from a consumer who suspected that the chicken was unhealthy. Officials promptly collected samples from a mall and confirmed the salmonella contamination, the report added.
The health monitoring section of the municipality then directed the authorities of malls and stores to withdraw their stock of Al Watania fresh chicken products, according to the report.
Salmonella infection usually occurs when a person ingests foods that contain a high concentration of the bacteria. The infection can result in fever, colic and diarrhoea. Other symptoms are cold, headache and nausea.
Meanwhile, in a statement published by Al Watan daily, al-Maliki has said the company’s frozen chicken and eggs do not contain salmonella. The producer has to provide an explanation for the salmonella contamination in fresh chicken and necessary action will be taken after that, the report added.
