New law to boost food safety by year-end

The UAE will introduce a national surveillance system for food poisoning cases and a unified mechanism for food safety under a new law to be implemented by the end of the year.

Published: Tue 23 Feb 2010, 1:16 AM

Last updated: Mon 6 Apr 2015, 2:12 PM

“The National (Food Safety) Committee has already finished the first draft and we expect the law to be ready by the end of the year,” Minister of Environment and Water Rashid bin Fahad told reporters at the 5^th Dubai International Food Safety Conference, on Monday.

He said the federal law will include existing food safety regulations and  will be implemented across all emirates. The law will bring under one umbrella all technical aspects and procedures related to the production, import, storage, transportation and supply of food products.

Health and municipal bodies will have to implement a common system for reporting and investigating cases of food poisoning. This follows a spate of deaths, including those of children last year, which put pressure on the regulatory body.

Director of Food Control Department at Dubai Municipality Khalid Mohammed Sharif Al Awadhi, who is also a member of the National Food Safety Committee, said efforts were on to coordinate with the Ministry of Health and local health authorities for drafting guidelines for hospitals to define, classify and report food borne illnesses caused by pathogenic bacteria.

Officials are also working on establishing a national database to help effectively investigate food poisoning cases. “Without proper data, we cannot identify the reasons for such cases and form our prevention plans.”Al Awadhi said workshops on food borne disease investigations by internationals experts were being held during the conference.

Inaugurating the conference earlier, the minister said, “Despite the development and advancement in food testing, disease surveillance and enhanced food safety standards, we still have food safety issues. The federal government has been keen over the years to set laws, specifications, regulations and guidelines necessary to ensure food safety and educate the public about the importance of food safety.”

With 90 per cent of consumable goods being imported to the UAE, the government has also been trying to ensure better food security by supporting farmers and agriculturists to boost local production.

sajila@khaleejtimes.com