The list read like a who’s who of Lebanese eateries – Hawa Chicken, Spinneys, Roadster Diner and dozens of others – but this was no recognition of Lebanon’s famed cuisine: Tuesday afternoon the health minister named and shamed establishments across Lebanon serving unsafe food.

“The Lebanese citizen’s food is not only dipped with sweat, but also in diseases and microbes,” Abu Faour said during a news conference at his ministry. “The Lebanese does not know what he eats, and it will be a disaster if he knows.”

The minister revealed that numerous supermarkets, bakeries, butchers and restaurants had been violating food safety standards, according to the results of the inspection campaign done by the ministry over the last 20 days.

Among the famous supermarkets that were named by Abu Faour were Fahed Supermaket in Jounieh, Hawa Chicken, Spinneys in Jbeil, Abou Khalil in Damour, Metro in Baaba, MP in Aley and TSC Mega in the Metn area.

Other notable places mentioned were Roadster Diner for chicken breasts, Bedo for sausages, Makaneq for soujok, and Al-Hallab sweets shop in Tripoli for Ashta.

“The purpose is not to distort the image of any companies,” Abu Faour repeated several times during the conference. “But we have a responsibility toward the citizens.”