The Dubai municipality hosted a virtual World Food Safety Day symposium on 7 June where national and local municipal efforts were showcased. The virtual event also brought together food safety professionals, food safety training providers and government officials from across the Emirates in a discussion on relevant topics, with speakers also from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI).

For FAO, Senior Food Safety Officer, Catherine Bessy, gave a presentation on “Assessing national food control systems, a sound basis to ensure food safety.” Bessy highlighted “the importance of strong national food control systems in protecting consumer health and ensuring fair practices in the food trade, as per Codex Alimentarius guidelines.” She also showcased the usefulness of a robust assessment approach, such as the FAO/WHO food control assessment tool, a key instrument to identify priorities for improvement, monitoring progress and improving trust and accountability.

Officials from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and food safety officials representing different emirates highlighted the important measures and initiatives undertaken to enhance food safety in food establishments across the country.

The forum discussions were aimed at food safety professionals working in the food business and government officials, as well as food import and export companies. A series of awareness workshops was also organized for municipality employees and government agencies such as the Ministry of Health, the Public Prosecution, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Department of Economic Development. These workshops focused on “the importance of promoting food safety awareness and directing attention to the prevention of foodborne diseases, and advice on correct practices when handling food.”

The municipality has made a short video about the event

Read more:

• https://www.wam.ae/ar/details/1395302941684
• https://menafn.com/1102235761/Dubai-Municipality-Conducts-Virtual-Food-Safety-Forum&source=30

Watch the webinar recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pppXeiUjQIs