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Ministry of Climate Change and Environment Organizes Workshop on National Rapid Alert System for Food

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority and the participation of local food control authorities, held a workshop on the National Rapid Alert System for Food to ensure the sound implementation of response measures taken when serious risks are detected in relation to food. The workshop highlighted the mechanisms of managing food risk alerts as well as banning and ban lifting of adulterated and misbranded foods to boost the efficiency and speed of information exchange when such foods are detected.

The workshop discussed the system components, assignment of responsibilities and roles, food alerts types, and the criteria to report a food incident which include border rejection notifications and adulterated products in the market notifications.

Participants were introduced to the food incidents classification matrix, as either high, medium or low, and the triggers for this classification, namely the likely severity of public health risk, the size and scale of an incident and number of people affected by it. The workshop also discussed the inspection challenges and best practices to share experiences amongst local authorities for better integration and implementation.

Commenting on the workshop, Majd Al Herbawi, Director of Food Safety Department at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, said that organizing this workshop was in line with the Ministry’s strategic plan to enhance food safety in the UAE. “The Ministry is committed to protecting food safety and safeguarding consumers from adulterated foods, following the guidelines of the National Agenda, UAE Vision 2021. The National Rapid Alert System for Food boosts the UAE’s position as a leading hub for food trade, as it increases both traders and consumers’ confidence in the integrity and safety of food products they see on the shelves,” she said.

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media@moccae.gov.ae

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