A parliamentary report monitors 11 negative practices committed by workers in food establishments

A parliamentary report revealed 11 negative practices that were monitored in some food establishments across the emirates of the country, most notably the failure to remove expired food from display shelves, and the failure to adhere to cleaning, sterilization and personal hygiene procedures for workers, as well as the failure to handle food at the appropriate temperatures, stressing that The importance of training food personnel regarding general hygiene, and providing the necessary knowledge and skills that enable them to handle food in a correct manner.

Food Safety

In detail, a parliamentary report approved by the Federal National Council affirmed the right to provide consumers with sufficient knowledge of food safety aspects, enabling them to understand the information written on food products, and preventing any contamination of food or the growth or survival of pathogenic organisms during storage, preparation, and use in the correct manner.

The report, a copy of which was obtained by Emirates Today, stated that despite the efforts undertaken by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment to raise awareness about the potential dangers resulting from wrong behaviors and practices in dealing with foodstuffs and food, and its conduct of more than 263 awareness campaigns during the period (2019-2022), a number of parliamentary observations and conclusions were noted, most notably “the limited role of federal and local media agencies in paying attention to food safety issues, and the failure to allocate programs concerned with educating members of society on the importance of food safety, as well as the weakness in educational curricula’s treatment of the issue of food safety.” In addition to the lack of awareness of the importance of using safe organic fertilizers by farmers, and the lack of awareness among individuals of the importance of knowing if food contains food allergens.”

Programs and workshops

The report explained that the parliamentary observations also included that awareness programs and workshops did not target all groups, especially housewives, in addition to primary production dealers (such as farmers and livestock breeders), school and university students, suppliers, and strategic partners (governmental – semi-governmental and international agencies and institutions). Educational and research), and finally those dealing in food establishments.

The report stressed the importance of committing to training and raising awareness of people who deal with food directly or indirectly, in accordance with the directives and requirements of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), regarding healthy practices in food systems, at a level commensurate with the operations they carry out, stressing the importance of training working personnel. Food care in terms of general hygiene, and provides the necessary knowledge and skills that enable them to handle food in a correct manner.

Practices

The parliamentary report, prepared by the Council’s Health and Environmental Affairs Committee, monitored 11 negative practices that were observed in some food establishments, through the concerned authorities and municipal departments at the level of the emirates of the country, including the following: low scientific and educational level of workers in food establishments, and the circulation of expired food supplies. validity, failure to maintain the cleanliness of the facility, failure to maintain, clean and disinfect equipment, failure to adhere to hygiene, sterilization and personal hygiene procedures for workers, failure to handle food at appropriate temperatures, failure to adhere to licensing procedures and food activities, failure to adhere to health requirements related to design and sequential path, and failure to Commitment to supplying food from approved sources, failure to take corrective measures on time, and failure to remove expired food from display shelves.

Government response

The parliamentary report included a government response to some of the observations and conclusions received, in which the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment confirmed that it had provided many programs and training courses for workers in the food field, and had also launched several awareness campaigns during the years (2019-2022), including periodic workshops, to raise awareness. Establishments and food handlers meet food safety requirements, such as: awareness workshops for slaughterhouses outside the country, awareness workshops on the technical and health requirements for imported rice products, training workshops for fresh fish exporters, in addition to a series of workshops that were presented to all partners from the government and private sectors, as well as publications that are circulated. Through the media and social media, to promote awareness of food safety and good health practices.

Consumer awareness

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment affirmed its keenness to educate consumers, workers in food establishments and sales outlets, as well as workers at border crossings, about all instructions related to food safety, noting that it is keen to implement awareness campaigns through the media and social media, to raise awareness about safe and consumable products, including: Concerning food safety in accordance with the best international standards and practices.

The Ministry indicated that it organizes workshops, training courses and awareness lectures on food safety, targeting government agencies and the private sector, and developing effective food control systems. It also uses the Ministry’s platform through social media channels to publish a number of visual awareness messages and leaflets about food safety and the safe storage of materials. Food, in addition to organizing campaigns for educational institutions in coordination with educational authorities, to enhance awareness of food safety and spread the culture of food safety.