JFDA says dairy factory closed for health violations; owner disputes claim

AMMAN — Authorities on Sunday closed down a yoghurt factory in Duleil for "falsifying expiry dates and violating public health standards", but the owner, Hammoudeh dairy company, said the plant was reopened after the inspection proved the products were in line with standards.

"We closed the production lines of the factory after checking it. We will destroy 73 tonnes of pasteurised milk, 22 tonnes of cheese put in moulds that do not carry specification cards and three tonnes of rotten cheese," said Hayel Obeidat, the director general of the Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA). 

He noted that the administration received complaints over the situation in the plant in question, saying that the JFDA will "not be lenient with those who violate the law".

"The company's other plant, which is located in Marka, is in line with our standards," Obeidat told The Jordan Times.

In a statement issued later in the day and carried by local news websites, Hammoudeh said the factory was partially closed and some raw material was seized due to a "misunderstanding" and a "belligerent complaint".

Further inspection confirmed that the products were suitable for the production of dairy and that their shelf life extends to 2017-2018, the statement said.

The plant is now open and operational, the statement said, adding that some photos shared online and claimed to show lack of sanitation at the facility were taken of the expansion project, which is not connected to the factory's production lines.

Obeidat refused to respond to the statement, saying that the administration acted in accordance with the law.

Meanwhile, the JFDA said it had started intensifying its inspection campaign for Ramadan two months ago. 

"We have 70 inspectors spread across Jordan to inspect eateries, food warehouses, malls, sweets shops and tourist areas to make sure that they abide by our health regulations," he said.

"Citizens' health and safety will remain our utmost priority," Obeidat added. 

JFDA cadres destroyed 17 tonnes of foodstuff in shops located in Karak, some 140km south of Amman, for being unfit for human consumption, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Sunday.

The administration called on the public to report their complaints to 080022660 or through WhatsApp on 00962798245475.