Food Safety Is Strategic Priority For Society’s Happiness, Says ADAFSA's DG

ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 06th Jun, 2020) On the occasion of the World Food Safety Day 2020, held under the theme "Food safety, everyone's business", Saeed Albahri Salem Alameri, Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, ADAFSA, said, "Food safety is a strategic priority in ADAFSA’s plans and programmes aimed at reaping the happiness of consumers."

He added in a statement on Saturday that the ADAFSA also pays great attention to maintaining food safety in the Abu Dhabi Emirate, by ensuring the implementation of the best food safety practices throughout the food chain, embracing food-related effective control systems, and conducting integrated awareness-raising programmes. These are based on the best international practices and risk analysis, as providing safe food contributes to the well-being and safety of society.

Alameri affirmed that the COVID-19 crisis requires food safety authorities worldwide to do their best and conduct programmes to reduce the impact of the crisis on food safety. He noted that the ADAFSA has cooperated with the World Health Organisation, the Food and Agriculture Organisation, and the International Food Safety Authorities Network, in assessing food risks since the start of the COVID-19 crisis.

"Besides, the ADAFSA has contributed to developing a guide in three languages to procedures and measures for safe handling of food during the pandemic. It features the most important preventive measures to ensure the hygiene of food handlers. Moreover, the ADAFSA took several precautionary and regulatory measures, to maintain food safety while handling it in food and agricultural facilities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi," he added.

In light of the current circumstances, Alameri pointed to the ADAFSA’s efforts at ensuring the hygiene status of all food and agricultural facilities, verifying their compliance with the best food safety standards and practices in Abu Dhabi, checking food consignments, food and agricultural inputs passing through border crossings, and educating the public on the best food-related practices. The ADAFSA’s inspection teams are working around the clock to ensure providing safe and healthy food for the public, as well as protecting consumers from foodborne and zoonotic diseases, he added.

Alameri praised the food safety workers for their role in enhancing consumer confidence in the circulated food, as they verify the compliance of all food-related facilities with food safety laws and regulation, and their commitment to policies, legislation and technical regulations.