Portugal’s much feared Food and Economic Security Authority (ASAE) said that last week its officers carried out a crack-down on food and drink outlets in downtown Faro.
As a result, 21 locations were inspected resulting in three criminal proceedings and nine cases of misconduct.
Two restaurants have been shut down due to general and specific hygiene concerns with 33 kg of poorly-stored frozen meat seized.
ASAE said that among the infringements registered was a case of ‘product fraud’ where a cheap fish had been used instead of cod but the main problems were poor food safety, dodgy weighing scales, and a failure to comply with sanitary standards for shellfish.
Also, there were clams, oysters and other shellfish for which no receipts could be shown, no doubt a product of the illegal harvesting on shellfish in the Ria Formosa area. The two restaurants that were closed down have not yet been named.
