Dubai: New international center for Halal food and products to open

Dubai-MunicipalityEng. Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality has announced that the civic body will soon start establishing an international accreditation center for Halal food in Dubai based on the initiative of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai to make Dubai the world capital of Islamic Economy.

Lootah said that an action team has been appointed to work according to the administrative decision No 359 of 2013 headed by Eng. Salem Bin Mesmar, Assistant Director General, Health, Safety & Environment Monitoring Sector at Dubai Municipality .

The members of the team include Eng. Khalid Sharif, Director Food Control Department, Mrs. Amina Ahmed, Director Accreditation Department, Hawa Bastaki, Director Dubai Central Laboratory, Noaf Al Naqbi, Head of Certification Bodies, Accreditation Section, Arif Marzouki, Head of Inspection and Certification Section, Maryam Salem Al Sallagi, Senior Food Microbiology Analyst, and Yousef Abdul Samad Al Rashid, Operation Health Specialist.

‘The proposed center will undertake required tests for Halal food and other products to ensure that all such products are free from any chemical or artificial additions which are not complying with the Islamic Law, with the aim to be the first international reference in the food industry worldwide,’ he said.

‘Eng. Salem Bin Mesmar said: A specific center for accreditation and certification has been already established for the comprehensive systematic coverage of Halal food operations at local level. The current facilities and infrastructure of Dubai will help it easily establish this first international center in the field of Halal food accreditation.

‘The move is expected to boost the business activities of Dubai as it comes in the most wanted context in both local and global levels. Due to the increased activities of food trade and other products, Dubai can serve the entire world as an authorized center to issue Halal Food compliance certificate and accredit other products such as medicine, leather, cosmetics …etc,’ he said.

Press Release 2014