The food & beverage industry in the UAE was valued at over $20 billion in 2021.
It’s easy to get into the industry due to the low barrier to entry. However, this also means there’s high competition, compared to other sectors.
In order to be profitable, you have to be efficient. Even so, you cannot afford to cut corners at the expense of sacrificing food quality standards.
The UAE heavily depends on imports to satisfy a large portion of its food needs, therefore, ensuring food security should be upheld at all times.
Any food-related illness can become very serious and prove to be fatal to some customers, especially children, pregnant women, the elderly, and those with vulnerable immune systems or allergies.
The impact of such illnesses can affect the society severely, from loss of earnings, unemployment, and low staff morale; it can also lead to negative publicity affecting trade & tourism in the country.
In order to ensure only food that complies with the highest quality standards is imported into the country, the Federal Law No. 10 of 2015 was introduced. It imposed strict controls & standards to ensure food safety throughout the food chain.
This law allows the Ministry of Economy to impose fines from AED 10,000 to AED 500,000 for offenders, and depending on the violation, a prison term could also be imposed.
Maintaining food safety standards is a vast topic. Here’s a brief outlook on the various components involved in the process of ensuring food safety in a food & beverage business.
Trade Licensing & Approvals
As a food & beverage company, you must have a valid trade license obtained from the relevant government authorities before you start operations. Make sure to select the appropriate business activities related to your company when you apply for the license.
Once you obtain your license, you are not allowed to engage in any other activities, so make sure you mention all the related business activities clearly.
Construction & Design
Whether you plan to construct a new location for your business or renovate an existing one, you have to submit the layouts to the Food Control Department prior before you begin construction or renovation of the establishment. Only proceed once you obtain approval.
If you plan to make any major changes that can affect the main layout or change the process flow, then you must obtain prior approval from the Food Control Department. You don’t need to do this if you only intend to make minor changes that do not alter the main layout, for example; the installation of shelves or cabinets in a storeroom.
Select a good location that is set far away from waste disposal facilities, streets, roads, and lanes to ensure there is no risk of contamination.
Equipment Safety
As a food & beverage company, you will have to ensure the usage of safe and suitable requirements & utensils at all times. They must be designed to be durable under typical working conditions.
Food Safety Management
The Food Control Department requires all food & beverage companies to implement a risk-based food safety program.
As such, make sure you employ at least 1 on-site Person in Charge who is certified in Food Safety and is aware of the regulations and protocols enforced by local governing bodies. They should be aware of all the relevant food safety principles and risks associated.
They will be assessed via written examination, of which the Food Safety Department will review & issue a certificate valid for a period of five years, should they pass the written assessment.
The requirement is to have at least 1 Person in Charge present at all shifts, actively overseeing all operations that could impact the safety of the food.
Food Handling & Processing
Every food & beverage business should take all the necessary steps to prevent the likelihood of contamination, and ensure the microbiological safety of the food at all times. This is to ensure you only process food that is safe.
Your food sources should also be inspected to ensure they are approved by the Food Control Department. Upon request, you must provide information regarding the food you source.
An authorized officer should be satisfied with these records. You must also maintain relevant records as evidence in situations that call for it.
Food Inspection
You must inspect incoming food, where it and the packing should be free from visible damage, are not contaminated, and are protected from any possible contaminations as well.
You must also ensure the time gap between receipt and expiration is sufficient enough for usage and avoid wastage of stock. Once received, the food should be moved into storage promptly.
Prevention of Food Contamination
Make sure there are appropriate restrictions in place to ensure designated staff has access. Have measures in place to avoid food contamination via other parties such as visitors & maintenance staff.
Avoid handling food with bare hands. Use disposable gloves, and clean disinfected utensils.
Ensure utensils are washed and properly disinfected before being used with other foods.
Food has to be stored, displayed, prepared, and served in a way that prevents contamination.
Food Labeling & Packaging
Food has to be packaged and labeled in a way that provides the necessary protection to last through its shelf life. This process has to be carried out in a hygienic environment. As far as labeling is concerned, the ingredients used in the production of the product have to be clearly labeled and must be clearly identified by the consumer.
The same applies to any products that contain allergens.
Storage, Transport & Disposal
All food storage & transport facilities should be designed in a way to preserve the safety of the food and prevent contaminations. All high-risk foods should be in a temperate controlled environment to prevent microbial growth and product deterioration.
A first in, first out approach must be maintained in storage areas. Food products removed from storage should always be the oldest stocks present at hand.
Food that is found to be unsafe or unsuitable should be marked, labeled, and isolated before being disposed of as quickly as possible. You must maintain a record of all rejected items.
Cleaning & Maintenance
All facilities should be subject to regular cleaning & maintenance protocols which should cover all elements such as;
All equipment and utensils that are in use should follow an acceptable standard of cleanliness at all times.
Personal Hygiene
As a food & beverage company, you must have policies in place that ensure all employees maintain a high degree of personal hygiene at all times.
Make sure they are free of any illness or communicable diseases and undergo medical fitness tests conducted by the related governing bodies.
Any food handler suffering from a communicable disease should submit a written report to the person in charge. When returning to work from medical leave, a written clearance must be submitted from the treating physician.
Staff Training
A documented training plan should be present for all employees based on their training requirements. All the staff that are involved in the food handling process must be thoroughly trained to ensure food safety standards are upheld and risk is minimized as much as possible.
Customer Complaint Handling
Your company should have a system to handle customer complaints, which should be able to guide relevant staff on how to respond, investigate and process any food-related complaints.
All food-related complaints should be logged in the complaints record.
We hope you found this blog post useful to get an idea of how the food & safety standards work here in the UAE. It is a vast and comprehensive process that is set according to world-class standards. It is difficult to fully document within the limits of a blog post.