Food safety standards high on government's agenda

More work is being carried out across GCC countries in raising food handling standards than ever before, according to a leading hygiene expert.

Abdul Rashid, Middle East director for Diversey Consulting, was speaking on the second day of the Speciality Food Festival in Dubai’s International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Rashid said that the six GCC countries are making steady progress in making the region a safer place to eat, but that there was still much work to be done.

“Around 90% of the food consumed is imported into the GCC, so there are a lot of issues and regulations.
“It is in the interests of the GCC to achieve a unified standard, a harmony. I would say that in the next two years it will be 99% of the way there.”

Recently, new regulations aimed at improving hygiene in the handling of food, were unveiled in Dubai and Sharjah.
In Dubai a new Person in Charge scheme, will see F&B professionals trained in safe food handling. The deadline for outlets to participate in the scheme is March 2010.

Earlier, Bobby Khrishna, senior food health officer with the Food Control Department Dubai Municipality, said that improving food hygeine was high on the list of priorities for governments.