Dubai: Dubai Municipality is considering changing the current food inspection system, as there are "opportunities for improvement" it was announced at the Food Safety Conference on Tuesday.
Ahmad Abdul Rahman Al Ali, Head of the Food Inspection Unit in the Food Control Department cited the increasing population, an unexpected increase in foodstuff establishments, the diversity of cultures and dietary habits, and the increase in the number and quality of the food industries as the reason for the changes.
He also sighted the emergence of unexpected contaminants (melamine in milk products and salmonella in peanut butter and chocolate) as a reason for the proposed change in the system.
Al Ali, in the presentation of his paper "Dubai Municipality Food Inspection Programmes — Between the present and the future", pointed out that the food inspection system is a key part of food control operations.
"This [the food inspections] is to protect public health and safety of consumers by ensuring food safety during transportation, storage, preparation and offering food.
"It is done through formulating inspection systems and legislation." he said.
