Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
As food systems grow more complex and interconnected, the UAE is raising the bar on food safety by tightening regulation, adopting new technology, and deepening cooperation between government and industry, experts said on World Food Safety Day.
The country has built a rigorous food safety environment where regulatory authorities place growing emphasis on transparency, digital traceability, inspection programmes and alignment with international standards, according to Hassan Safi, Group CEO of Al Ain Farms Group.
"What stands out is the extent to which food safety is treated as a public health priority here, with government and industry working together to drive system-level improvements that make a real difference to people's daily lives," he said.
Wael Ismail, Vice President of Corporate Affairs for MENAPAK at PepsiCo, echoed the importance of collaboration. "The UAE has built a robust food safety framework that brings together regulators, producers, manufacturers, retailers and logistics providers to maintain high standards across the food value chain," he said.
Central to that framework, Ismail said, is the growing role of technology in improving visibility and quality control across complex operations. "Digital twins help teams access information faster, track goods more closely, and identify issues earlier," he told Aletihad.
Safi added that real-time monitoring systems are becoming essential tools for tracking conditions across the supply chain, as food fraud, contamination, and packaging integrity emerge as concerns in an increasingly interconnected food system. "Even small lapses in storage or transportation conditions can compromise product quality," he said.
Safi drew a direct line between food safety, public health, and long-term food security. "Food safety protects public health, reduces waste across the supply chain, and underpins the long-term reliability of food production."
Ismail also highlighted the role global companies can play in supporting national food security ambitions beyond regulatory compliance. He pointed to his company's participation in the UAE's Future Industries Lab, where it will help train young Emiratis in quality management and supply chains. "These public-private partnerships are very important to national goals like public health and food security," he said.
Amid advancing technology and a fast-evolving food landscape, Ismail stressed that awareness and accountability remain equally critical. "Something that has not changed is accountability, and the expectation that businesses will conform with regulation and standards persists," he said.
