The municipal centre of preventive medicine stopped the activity of about 100 companies of public nourishment in Chisinau this year because they did not observe the sanitary norms. In 6 months, the doctors found violations at over 130 public nourishment institutions, applying fines totalling MDL 260 thousand. Of those 1300 samples collected during half a year, about 15% proved that the prepared food is not qualitative and does not correspond to the necessary microbiological indexes, head of Food Hygiene Section Ludmila Antosii told a meeting on Thursday, July 19. The meeting brought together economic entities providing public nourishment services. Usually, the value of the fine constitutes MDL 12 – 20 thousand. The doctors recommended the heads of these institutions to verify the quality of the purchased products from which the food is prepared and to make sure that that the institutions have refrigerators, respect the processing conditions of the products, keep the equipment in proper conditions. Also, they should ask the cooks to take medical examinations. Lately, the number of acute diarrheic diseases increased 1.2 times, Olga Volovschi, head of the specialised section of the Centre said, at present being registered 2500 cases of which 75% at children. The grownups are usually treating themselves, considering they do not need the services provided by doctors. According to the Municipal Centre of Preventive Medicine, outbreaks were not registered this year. Last year, the Municipal Centre applied over 200 fines totalling MDL 600 thousand, and the activity of 70 institutions was stopped. At present, there are 1400 public nourishment institutions working in Chisinau.