Posted: November 3rd, 2009 - 7:56am
Source: Khaleej Times

DUBAI — Local manufacturers of dairy, meat and ready-to-eat food products will be soon governed by new regulations that are being drafted by Dubai Municipality to ensure better food safety throughout the food chain.
The municipality’s Food Control Department is drafting regulations to implement an integrated “farm-to-fork” approach on food safety control that increases the legal liability of food producers.
It also places specific responsibilities on the food sector to go through the process to develop more effective self-regulation in food safety management because it is unrealistic to expect that the government could inspect at all stages of the production process of all producers.
These details were discussed at an educational workshop organised by the department at the Sweets Middle East, and Sweet and SnackTec Middle East trade fairs which began in Dubai on Monday.
Bashir Hassan Yousif, acting head of Food Control Department’s Food Studies and Planning Unit, said the guidelines will ensure risk-based preventive measures aimed at preventing food-borne illnesses.
“Our plan is to involve the industry to have a more active role in ensuring food safety. Food business operators must show that they have adopted good hygienic practices on their premises, suitable for the purpose and it should not be just meeting the minimum requirements of the law,” Yousif told Khaleej Times after the workshop.