FOOD SAFETY "VIGILANCE"-A NEW INITIATIVE IN UAE

UAE, as an independent entity, may be small in size with some what low indigenous population but its resolve to make sure the foods people eat are safe is "Himalayan" in proportion. With almost all countries in the world struggling to evolve fool proof safety monitoring system to have a control on the food business sector vis-a-vis the quality and safety of the products churned out by it, food poisoning episodes continue to occur at sickening regularity, even in advanced countries with superior infrastructure to "manage" this vexed problem. Look at the US where a Salmonella out break that killed one and affected scores of consumers in 26 states since March this year defies attempts to trace the ground Turkey meat which was found to be contaminated. The initiative by the Dubai Municipality to make food safety its top most priority is reflected by its resolve to put in place a program that will see every food establishment is "equipped" with a trained health supervisor, solely responsible for ensuring "cleanliness" and safety of the food products made by it. All kudos to the country for its innovative initiative.

"The move is aimed to supervise, follow-up and train the workers in food establishments where the supervisor has to implement necessary health requirements to ensure food safety. Khalid Mohammad Shareef, Director of Food Control Department said that the health supervisor program is a strategic partnership between Municipality and food establishments related to its various activities in the Emirate of Dubai. Nearly 2,500 health supervisors have been trained since the beginning of 2010 until now. Approximately 36 trainees completed the training programme from companies qualified and certified by Municipality."External inspectors also have been trained to inspect the areas in the Emirate of Dubai. The external inspector has to nominate a person in charge of health supervisor to oversee and follow-up in his establishment," he added. Highfield and TCL are the authorized providers by Municipality in the field of training institutions and granting certificates for health supervisors. From January 2011, all food establishments should have an in charge person with appropriate training and a certificate in the food safety. He can be the company owner, manager, chef, kitchen manager, quality manager, or any equivalent person who is always involved in the work. The in charge will be accountable to the company and government bodies regarding all type of food safety issues".

The Food Giant Cargil has recently recalled millions of pounds of ground Turkey meat in the US, suspected to be contaminated with Salmonella, fearing a nation wide calamity. It is not for want of trying that food poisoning still occurs but the complexity of the food chain makes it impractical to cover 100% of the production in any country for safety evaluation before market release. No government oversight can be fool proof and with rampant corruption prevalent in most developing countries for "buying" the food inspectors, mishaps will continue to take place. Dubai is fortunate in having a benevolent "Ruler" with unlimited power to punish "violators" and any scheme to force industry to improve their safety credentials has a better chance to succeed. Tourism being one of the money spinners for its economy, UAE has a stake in ensuring food safety with a punitive and effective enforcement regime.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

RAISING THE FOOD SAFETY BAR-NEW UAE INITIATIVE LAUDABLE

If all the reports emanating from the United Arab Emirates ( UAE) are to be believed, consumers in the Dubai emirate should be the safest ones on earth. Probably the chances that the system of surveillance put in place there can be one of the best are very high considering the enormous resources they have at their command. But all rich countries need not be paragons of virtue when it comes to food safety as evident from food poisoning episodes one hears about around the world. One of the most satisfying aspects of the safety monitoring regime in UAE is the mandatory placement of qualified food inspectors in every licensed eatery vested with the responsibility of overseeing the day to day operations from hygiene and sanitation angles. Strict monitoring of the market for presence of spurious food materials helps the catering industry to obtain good quality raw materials for making preparations that comply with the standards laid down.

"The one aspect of living in the UAE that calls for praise is the ongoing attempt to ensure the highest standards of hygiene in the manufacture, retail and sales of food through public outlets. The latest initiatives issued by the Dubai Municipality to place food inspectors or what are known as food safety managers in every eatery is a major step in taking the controls to 
another level. We actually have to concede that perhaps with such steps being taken on a regular basis and the penalties indicating that there is also zero tolerance for those whose sanitary environment is below par the chances of upsetting the digestive system or swallowing harmful bacteria is drastically reduced. Couple this surveillance with the inspections of markets for any shoddy or dated goods and the odds are lowered even further. In a world where contaminated food or poor drinking water is the cause of infection in millions of people the non-exposure in our lifestyles thanks to such vigilance is a matter of extreme social importance especially in the case of young children".

Policing the food industry is a difficult job and with constraints on resources many countries do not deploy adequate personnel for regular inspection and rectification of inadequacies encountered. On top of it the enforcement personnel in many cases are known to ignore violations for pecuniary considerations. Probably the situation in countries like Dubai, Saudi Arabia etc does not encourage violation of laws of the land under a strict deterrent environment. The relatively low population and the small size of the area to be administered make the task comparatively easier but credit cannot be taken away from the rulers for their determination and commitment to the welfare of their consumers through their zero tolerance policy as far as food safety is concerned.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com/

FOOD SAFETY ENFORCEMENT-KUDOS TO UAE

What a determined food safety agency can achieve is demonstrated by UAE through systematic inspection of food chains, retailers, eateries, meat shops etc which can cause damage to the consumers if the products they are peddling are below the safety standards prescribed. The Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, in its recent compliance, has claimed closure of several establishments, imposing fines on safety violators and destruction of sub-standard imported foods at the port of entry itself. Such a reputation for the Authority can be an effective deterrent for future potential violators and consumer confidence on the ability of the agency to protect them increases manifold.

"There were almost 3,000 inspections of restaurants, meat counters, schools, hotels and factories, with 460 warnings being issued, down from more than 1,100 during Ramadan and Eid. The food authority had stepped up its safety campaign during the holy month in anticipation of increased demand for food products. Mr al Reyaysa said he expected fewer food safety problems in the winter than in the summer, when the scorching heat can spoil food".

The system in place imposes graded punishments by first issuing a warning, then levying fines and finally issuing closure notice for repeat violators. The Authority also may also publish the details about those who compromise on food safety for the benefit of the consumers which can create a backlash in the form of boycott of their products. While it is not the intention to terrorize the industry and the retailing players, those who mend their ways are rehabilitated by allowing to reopen the closed units after rectifying the violations for which they were punished.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com