DUBAI – Every food outlet in the country may have to assign managers responsible for implementing food safety regulations in future as the Ministry of Environment and Water plans to take a similar measure adopted by Dubai when it unifies the best practices in food safety in various emirates.
The regulation mandating each food business, including importers, to have a food safety manager titled PIC or Person-in-Charge, who is responsible for conducting self-inspections and implementing food safety regulations and standards, was introduced by the Dubai Municipality (DM) in January.
The regulation is likely to be implemented at the federal level once the pilot project in Dubai matures and proves to be a success, Minister of Environment and Water Rashid Ahmed bin Fahd said on the sidelines of the 6th Dubai International Food Safety Conference which began on Monday.
Speaking to reporters, the minister said the new law, envisaged to implement better food safety in the country, will have provisions that allow the application of best practices and regulations by local authorities.
In reply to a question by Khaleej Times, he said the PIC project by the DM was one such regulation that could be extended to all emirates. “Once it matures, we will have it all over the UAE,” he said. He said the draft of the law announced last year was currently being reviewed by the Ministry of Justice and expected to come into force before summer. He said the implementation was delayed as his ministry took time to review existing rules and international regulations and ensure that the new regulations go hand in hand with them.
“We have a national food safety committee that oversees and takes all steps that assure uniform measures in the whole UAE and we are doing a lot in promoting and enforcing safety. At the same time, we are encouraging increased local production through new technologies like hydroponics, good agricultural practices and organic farming.”Bin Fahd said the ministry is in the process of setting up a biosafety committee as per the directives of the Cabinet and hoped that the committee’s efforts would also contribute in ensuring better food safety.
“The UAE enjoys a very strong and sound food safety structure, thanks to the efforts of the local authorities like the DM that have paved the way for securing food safety here and in neighbouring countries,” he said referring to the huge volume of food being re-exported through the UAE ports, mainly in Dubai.
Director-General of Dubai Municipality Hussain Nasser Lootah said more than 160 countries export food to Dubai. “The amount of food imported to Dubai increased from 4.3 million tons in 2009 to approximately six million tons in 2010, despite the financial crisis, which confirms the leadership of Dubai as an important commercial hub in the world,” he said.
He said the most effective way to ensure the safety of food imported to the emirate of Dubai is to ensure the application of the standards of food safety in the countries with emerging economies and developing countries.
Noting that it was important to activate the role of food establishments as they have become partners in the regulatory process, Lootah said the municipality counts a lot on the PIC system in bringing about a quantum leap in reducing violations by these establishments
