Abu Dhabi: A new draft law is meant to ensure no contaminated, fake or rotten foods slip through the cracks and make it to the consumer marketplace, according to legislation presented to the Federal National Council for review and approval on Tuesday.

The bill suggests a jail term of up to three years and a Dh2 million fine for dealers in fake, harmful or rotten foods.

The legislation requires that food producers and importers register their products before starting any food operation in the UAE.

“No food, nor animal feed will be imported into the country unless it is approved by the Ministry of Environment and Water as per a national approval and registration system, to be announced and fully enforced when this law takes effect,” states the draft law.

The draft law, which requires approval of the House before final endorsement by the President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, states that all foods and animal feed produced or imported into the UAE must comply with UAE’s regulations and standards.

“Food consumption in the UAE had been growing at the rate of 12 per cent per year and; therefore, the demand for food staples has increased by 30 per cent,” according to the Ministry of Economy.

The ministry explained that one of the main reasons for the increasing demand “was the UAE’s steadily growing population”.

Ministry of foreign trade’s report revealed that over the past five years, the country’s foodstuff foreign trade was worth Dh295 billion, achieving a total growth of 84 per cent, with food imports constituting the largest share (Dh194 billion — 66 per cent) of the total amount.

The legislation, passed by the Cabinet last month, sets out key requirements to establish a system of effective regulatory and oversight services to ensure the protection of public health and protect consumers.

It provides for a prison term of not less than a month and a fine of up to Dh500,000 for those who deal, without permission, in food or products that contain pork or alcohol or any of their by-products.

Misleading consumers by publishing a false description of food or using incorrect labels will attract a fine ranging between Dh10,000 and Dh100,000, according to the draft law.

“Out of more than 200,000 goods and commodities in the UAE’s markets, only 6,500 goods, including 300 foods, are covered by standards of the federal watchdog,” according to a report made by an ad-hoc FNC committee and debated recently.

The House has been told many foods cause deaths and lethal ailments due to non-conformity to standards.

The report said as many as 85 per cent of cancers in the UAE are blamed on the absence of food standards for genetically modified foods.

Members of the House stressed that with more than 80 per cent of food products in the UAE being imported, the country has to compete in a global trading system where increasingly stringent requirements apply with regard to product quality, safety, health and environmental impacts.

Dr Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahd, Minister of Environment and Water, said out of 10 million tonnes of food imported into the UAE, only three per cent was rejected, mainly for labelling.

“The UAE is recognised as a very well-regulated market, with other countries trusting our standards and conformity infrastructure,” Dr Bin Fahd said.

Under the legislation, dealers in foods confiscated as per the new regulations will face a prison term of up to two years, a fine of between Dh100,000 and Dh300,000 or both.

The new regulations also penalise attempts to endanger food safety with the same penalties for actual offences.

The legislation authorises the Ministry of Economy to impose fines of up to Dh100,000 for other offences, provided that these offences are regulated by the Cabinet.