Baghdad health authorities shut dairy plant reprocessing rotten cheese

BAGHDAD — Baghdad’s Karkh health authority said its inspectors shut down a dairy plant that was reprocessing rotten cheese of unknown origin, supervising the destruction of about 10 tons and referring the case for legal action.

In a statement, the Ministry of Health said its teams “managed to seize a dairy plant that uses cheese of unknown origin and not suitable for human consumption.”

During an unannounced inspection, inspectors “found large quantities of rotten cheese inside the plant, which were being reprocessed and used in manufacturing food products for the local market,” the ministry added, warning that the practice posed a direct risk to consumers.

The health teams oversaw the destruction of “about 10 tons of cheese unfit for human consumption” in line with health and legal procedures, and said the file has been sent to the relevant authorities to pursue charges against those involved.

The Baghdad Karkh Health Directorate said it will continue daily inspections of markets, food factories and storage sites to protect public health.

In March, the Ministry of Trade said it destroyed expired imported meat sold in western Baghdad markets and blocked a bran smuggling attempt in Baghdad and Salah al-Din governorates. It said joint teams working with security forces and the Ministries of Agriculture and Health confiscated spoiled meat in the Karkh area and destroyed it on-site, while another team intercepted a vehicle carrying large quantities of bran and impounded the shipment, taking legal action against those accused of manipulating the food supply.