Dubai Municipality to Unveil Digital Food Safety Programs at Gulfood 2024

Dubai Municipality is gearing up for its participation in Gulfood 2024, slated to take place from 19th to 23rd February at the Dubai World Trade Centre. This event, renowned as one of the largest food and beverage exhibitions globally, will host over 5,500 exhibitors. The Municipality aims to highlight its comprehensive digital programs and services designed to bolster Dubai’s food sector. Dawoud Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality, emphasized the importance of this event as a pivotal gathering for the global food and beverage community.

Al Hajri pointed out that Gulfood Exhibition serves as a crucial annual forum for exchanging expertise and insights into global and future trends, including the latest developments in the industry's production and circulation processes. He remarked on the exhibition's role in spotlighting the Municipality's endeavors to establish a sustainable food system in Dubai, thereby enhancing the emirate's reputation as a leading model for cities worldwide and advancing its Food Security Strategy objectives.

At Gulfood 2024, Dubai Municipality will present its initiatives aimed at ensuring food safety and quality alongside its advanced digital services that simplify import, export, and registration operations for food products and shipments. These services are integral to promoting flexible, sustainable, and integrated food supply chains. Additionally, they support the Municipality's efforts in educating stakeholders about the latest safety standards, food specifications, and environmental sustainability practices.

The Dubai Food Systems Excellence Programme will be another highlight of the Municipality's participation. This initiative seeks to recognize top food establishments for their adherence to integrated standards of food safety, nutrition, environmental sustainability, community responsibility, digitisation, and innovation. Targeting restaurants and snack preparation facilities across Dubai, the programme aims to reinforce Dubai’s status as a global trade hub, encourage excellence among food businesses, and uphold a sustainable system that enhances quality of life.

Streamlining Operations for Food Merchants

Dubai Municipality will also showcase its services for food merchants and suppliers, offering streamlined access to IRS for easier import and export procedures and tracking of food products. The event will serve as a platform for promoting practices that reduce food loss and waste within the emirate. Furthermore, it will increase customer awareness regarding regulations, processes, and transactions related to food shipments.

The customer journey with IRS involves several steps: securing a license, company registration on the Municipality's website, evaluating food products, submitting an import application on the import and export system, requesting shipment arrival at the port of entry, transporting it to the port control office for inspection and release. This process culminates in staff members' receipt and inspection of the shipment, its release from the port, arrival at the importer’s warehouse, sample collection, laboratory inspection of the product, and ultimately granting access to the local market.

Dubai Municipality's participation in Gulfood 2024 underscores its commitment to enhancing Dubai’s food sector through innovative services and initiatives. By fostering a sustainable food system and promoting high standards of food safety and quality, the Municipality aims to contribute significantly to achieving Dubai’s Food Security Strategy goals.

With inputs from WAM