Dubai International Food Safety Conference Takes Centre Stage at Gulfood Manufacturing 2015
Dubai, United Arab Emirates:
As nations across the Middle East, Africa
and South East Asia (MEASA) region work to implement food safety
standards through their respective food supply chains, the
manufacturing, food processing, packaging and logistics sectors play a
particularly important role in improving, supporting and driving
quality control measures within their areas of expertise. With its
strategic position as a key trading hub for the global food industry,
Dubai is well placed to take the lead in improving and aligning food
safety standards across the region.
Gulfood
Manufacturing, the region’s largest and most influential trade
exhibition for the F&B manufacturing, processing and packaging
industry will host more than 1,500
companies from around the world at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC)
from 27 –
29 October,
with food safety a primary focus across the board. Alongside Gulfood
Manufacturing, the Food Control Department of Dubai Municipality with
support from
the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP), International
Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST) and the Institute of Food
Technologists will present the 10th Dubai International Food Safety
Conference (25
– 28 October).
“There is no doubt that food safety is at the top of the agenda across the region –
from
the highest government levels through to agriculture, food production,
processing and packaging, and down to the end consumer through
hospitality and retail.
International standards are not only recognised, they are becoming
essential benchmarks, and Gulfood Manufacturing provides a valuable
platform for businesses in the industry to highlight and showcase their
capabilities, codes of conduct, and product development
mapped against these food safety standards,”
said Trixie LohMirmand, Senior Vice-President, Exhibitions and Events Division, DWTC.
The
region’s high reliance on imports and unprecedented population growth
have led governments to encourage domestic and local food production. At
the same time, a growing
base of expatriates and educated young consumers is driving the need
for accurate information about food quality, ingredients and nutrition
and standards to give consumers confidence that products are following
international safety and quality standards.
With
food safety declared a top government priority, the UAE Federal
National Council earlier this year passed a tough new federal law on
food safety, to be enforced in
all UAE territories. The 21-article bill regulates food production both
inside the country and from imports and aims to tighten control on the
food supply chain by using international best practices. At the same
time, according to Alpen Capital Report 2015,
the UAE government is working on the launch of a uniform system, Rapid
Alert System for Food and Feed, meant to improve and standardize food
recall processes across the country –
a system similar to that implemented in the European Union.
Both
globalisation
and the intensification of food trade and agriculture, are driving
increasing awareness for standardization of food safety and quality
practices at
local, regional and global levels, which is key for consumer
protection, food trade and economic development. Countries such as the
UAE are taking the lead in advancing international food safety standards
across the region, which will have a positive impact
not only on consumer confidence, but on the region’s overall
competitiveness and food security ranking.
Underscoring
the unprecedented emphasis on food safety at a global level, the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) last month took one of the most significant steps in decades to
prevent foodborne illness by finalizing the first two of seven major
rules under the bipartisan FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
This the first step in putting greater emphasis
on the prevention of foodborne illness, holding imported food to the
same food safety standard as domestically produced food, and developing a
nationally integrated food safety system in partnership with state and
local authorities.
Another
signal the food safety is a major concern at a global level and
undergoes important changes is the
revision of the ISO 22000 currently underway, addressing the food
safety management system, with the draft version available for purchase
from mid-2016. The final version, expected to be ready in early 2017,
will address several key concepts that need further
clarification and simplify standards, making it more coherent and
easier to use.
The
knowledge and resources provided by an event the stature of Gulfood
Manufacturing are essential for policy-makers and companies
looking to explore the latest innovations boosting ROI, streamline
business processes and evolve business models while maintaining high
safety standards and avoiding food safety related incidents that could
have a devastating impact on the business and public
health.
Gulfood Manufacturing will host three conferences this year: Next Generation Manufacturing (October 27), F&B
Innovation (October 28-29) and Food Logistics (October 28),
bringing together leaders in food logistics, manufacturing and
processing sectors to address challenges, trends and opportunities in
making food safety a priority. Eng. Mohammed Albastaki, CEO of
Dubai Trade, Dr. Hashim Saeed Al Nuami, Director, Department of
Consumer Protection, Ministry of Economy UAE, Ahsan S. Razzaq, General
Manager, Corporate Supply Chain & QHSE, Olayan Financing Company,
and Dr. Frederic Aymes, Head of Quality Management, Nestle
Middle East are among the speakers.
Packaging, a critical component in the overall food safety process, has a decisive impact on the quality and integrity of food and beverage products and therefore a company’s reputation for safety. Tetra Pak, the global leader and pioneer in food processing and packaging highlights the challenge for food and beverage producers in securing food safety in their production line, profitably. Amar Zahid, President, Greater Middle East & Africa (GME&A) for Tetra Pak said: “We look at the entire production process. Today, production is integrated: the product flows continuously through the plant, from raw material intake to distribution, without stopping. This means that producers must control every step, both individually and as part of the whole. Integrated processing and packaging solutions make it easier for food producers to reach their objectives of safe and efficient operations. Tetra Pak enables food producers all over the world, including our region, to achieve high standards of food safety through traceability, with unique knowledge and experience in operational cost reduction and waste elimination in the food processing and packaging process.”
Turnkey
manufacturer of bottling lines, EKTAM SAN., is a key supplier to the
F&B industry, delivering capability
that begins with the first hygienic preparation of bottles for rinsing,
filling and capping, through to pasteurizing, labelling and palletizing
of finished products. Ercan Atalay, Export Sales Engineer for EKTAM
SAN., Turkey said: “Uncompromising quality
and adoption of the latest technology are critical for effective food
safety. Bottling lines include a range of manufacturing steps that
without stringent adherence to the highest standard will compromise the
integrity of the finished food or beverage product,
so working with a turnkey manufacturer such as EKTAM SAN. helps food
manufacturers deliver top quality products that are flavourful and
safe.”
More
than 30,000 trade professionals are expected to attend Gulfood
Manufacturing to gain direct and convenient access to companies
providing products, equipment, expertise
and services that hold food safety at their core.
Gulfood Manufacturing is open between 10am-6pm from 27 –
28 October and 10am-5pm on 29 October 2015 at DWTC. Visitor attendance is free of charge. For more information, please visit
www.gulfoodmanufacturing.com
