Call to set up food accreditation centre in Dubai
Officials are pushing for new regulations to accredit and standardise halal food companies and to set up an international centre for halal food accreditation in Dubai.
Top experts in standards and specifications, and halal food operations will be discussing the need and ways to regulate the Halal food industry at Dubai’s premier food safety conference coming up after two weeks.
A special seminar on the issues related to halal food will be a highlight at the 8th Dubai International Food Safety Conference (DIFSC) scheduled to be held on November 18 and 19.
This is in line with launch of the strategic plan to develop the Islamic economy sector by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and the Ruler of Dubai, said Amina Ahmed Mohamed, Head of the scientific committee of DIFSC.
“This project should start with creating a firm legislative infrastructure that includes all specifications and procedures related to the halal food,” said Ahmed in a media statement. “The strategic plan of this project included seven principal orientations and 46 initiatives implemented within 36 months, where the second orientation of the plan is to make Dubai the main hub for the food and halal products industries.”
This requires, she noted, the creation of a local network of facilities and logistic services to produce and develop these products, export, re-export and build a chain of best standards in the field. The official affirmed that the emirate of Dubai is an ideal place to implement this initiative based on its huge potentialities and availability of most advanced food laboratories approved by the international authorities.
Amina, who is also the Director of Accreditation Department at the Dubai Municipality and Head of the DIFS Conference organising committee, explained that this position recognised by international relevant organisations such as the International Accreditation Forum and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation, adds significance of the emirate where its recourses and expertise can be utilised to create an international centre for halal food accreditation.
The seminar will include speakers from the Emirates Authority for Standardisation & Metrology of the UAE, a leading authority in the field of food specifications in the regional level and from Calibration and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (Simic) of OIC, in addition to the representatives of food organisations operating in production, manufacturing and trade of halal hood.
sajila@khaleejtimes.com
