Rabat – Moroccan authorities have closed down a restaurant located in the Ouzoud Falls region near Azilal for breaching food safety rules. The move came after a video went viral on the internet featuring a couple complaining about being served a Tagine dish with meat containing worms.
Released on Wednesday, the video shows the meat containing live worms, with the couple complaining about the health hazard. Shortly after, the Royal Gendarmerie in the Azilal region received a complaint from said customers and ordered the closure of the restaurant for inspection to confirm the incident.
The owner of the restaurant headed to local news outlets to defend his restaurant. In a video, the owner said that his restaurant complies with the most stringent food safety standards and that it uses fresh ingredients to prepare its dishes in the most hygienic conditions.
The owner, who has been running his food business for more than 40 years, added that his restaurant prepared and served more than 30 tagines on the day of the incident and all customers were satisfied. He accused the couple of bringing the spoiled meat with them in an attempt to ruin the restaurant’s great reputation.
The video sparked outrage among Moroccans on social media, who denounced the negligence of the restaurant and encouraged its closure.
Meanwhile, others sided with the owner of the business and said that it must be a “conspiracy” to harm the restaurant, which is considered by locals as one of the best in the Ouzoud area. Others have said that worms cannot survive extreme heat.
Moroccans demanded that the authorities redouble their efforts in inspecting restaurants, including those that serve fast food, especially as the summer season approaches. Cases of food poisoning increase during summer because bacteria grow faster in warmer weather.
Some social media commentators said that the “Tagine of Worms” incident is not an isolated case in the Ouzoud Falls area. They claim that consumers have been, for years, subject to health violations in food places in the area without authorities interfering to protect consumers’ health.
The Ouzoud Falls, which is the second-highest waterfall in Africa, is one of Morocco’s most popular tourist destinations.
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