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A veiled Saudi woman works at a restaurant in Tabuk, 1500 km from Riyadh, in this November 30, 2013 file photo.

It is the time of the year when the weather shifts toward high summer temperatures and humidity bringing with it many seasonal afflictions which can ruin the holidays, especially for kids.

Health experts say cold food is the main cause of food poisoning during summer and with the soaring heat, consumers have to be careful before consuming it.

Jeddah is witnessing an increased rush of visitors from various parts of the Kingdom who love to dine out in numerous cafes and restaurants available in the coastal city.

In a bid to limit the risk of food poisoning and other ills, the Jeddah Municipality is conducting two types of inspections to maintain hygiene in food outlets. The first campaign, which targets groceries and supermarkets, focuses on the efficiency of their refrigerators, air conditioners, vendors’ health cards and kitchen workers.

The second campaign targets the hygiene conditions in different restaurants and the efficiency of the ventilators, chimneys and suction fans, the quality of cooking oil and food temperature.

Mohammed Al-Bogami, spokesperson of Jeddah Municipality, said that the municipality is focusing upon food outlets in the summer, adding that special squads have been deployed to monitor them in the city.

He said that they were mainly concentrated in the Corniche area, which witnesses an influx of crowds.
He said that the inspection campaigns ensure that the food is stored at suitable temperatures, and that the areas of food preparation are sanitized.

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