FOOD SAFETY AND VETERINARY INSPECTION CONDUCTS 1,636 CHECKS THIS YEAR

Noyan Tapan

Dec 19, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. The Food Safety and Veterinary
Inspection of the RA Ministry of Agriculture conducted 1,636 checks
this year, which is more by 400 than in 2007, the inspection head
Grisha Baghian stated at the December 29 press conference.

According to him, during the checks at food servicing facilities with
the participation of members of NGOs, attention was paid first of
all to bread production and sale-related issues. In connection with
violations revealed, about 110 economic entities were instructed to
eliminate the violations in a short period. Besides, fines of a total
of 9.5 million drams (about 30 thousand USD) were imposed on these
economic entities. Nearly 200 tons of old, unprocessed or low-quality
foodstuffs (canned goods, sausages, beer, vodka, flour, buckweat) to be
imported into Armenia were seized and destroyed at border check points.

As regards the checks conducted at food facilities of comprehensive
schools and kindergartens, G. Baghian said that 71 checks in the period
from October up to now have revealed numerous cases of the sale of
sausages and confectionery without the necessary certificates. Gross
violations of hygiene and food storage were recorded, with fines of
a total of 2.5 million drams being imposed.

G. Baghian announced that the inspection has taken a number of measures
to eliminate the violations at schools, thanks to which the number
of cases of selling old and uncertified foodstuffs has declined,
and the servicing companies have obtained certificates for public
catering organization.