1.1 million food products registered in Dubai Municipality Food Import and Export System

More than 1.1 million food products have been registered in the Food Import and Export System of Dubai Municipality said Sultan Al Taher, Acting Director of Food Safety Department in the Municipality.

“As Dubai is a global tourist destination and a major hub for food trade, the emirate's outlets receive more than 8 million tons of food annually, which is imported from more than 160 countries, and a large amount of these products are re-exported to other countries in the region. More than 23,400 food establishments operate in Dubai, which employs over 30,000 food handlers. Hence, Dubai Municipality has given top priority to food safety and follows several procedures to ensure the integrity of the food safety system,” Al Taher said.

“Since the global food safety system is very complex and vulnerable to intentional and unintentional contamination, the Food Safety Department always ensures the safety and quality of food. We have developed specific regulatory procedures to avoid food adulteration and expanded the scope of the department to include programs related to nutrition,” Al Taher added.

“We make sure that the laws and directives are constantly updated to keep pace with the scientific developments, and we are now in the final stages of issuing a food safety system after many additions, such as the application and issuance of certificates related to food safety management systems,” Al Taher said.

“We also have new requirements for training and food transport vehicles, and there are some laws from the federal government that are being implemented, including new food legislation and the legalization of trans fats,” he pointed out.

“Our focus in the coming period will be on promoting a food safety culture using modern technologies. Food establishments will become aware of the risks related to food safety and the procedures for dealing with these risks to obtain a very good rating,” said Al Taher.

He said the 17th Dubai International Food Safety Conference will be organized from 27 to 29 November 2023.