A first for the region, the code aims to elevate the standards of food safety

The Dubai Municipality, on March 25, 2013, released the Dubai Food Code with the aim of providing a set of model requirements to help food businesses achieve a higher degree of compliance with the food regulations, and attain a higher standard of food safety through the adoption of good practices.

Commenting against the backdrop of a press conference specifically called for the release of the Code, Khalid Shareef, Director, Food Control Department, Dubai Municipality, said: “Dubai’s vision is to establish a world-class food safety system that helps provide safe food to the residents and the several millions that visit the Emirate each year.”

The Code is an interpretative guideline that explains how to meet the objectives identified in the administrative and local orders passed by the Government of Dubai. According to the Dubai Municipality, the Code has, as its primary focus, a broad range of food establishments, including, but not limited to, restaurants, hotels, bakeries, butcheries, grocery stores, food catering units, food factories and food packing material manufacturers.

One of the more relevant areas to the HVACR industry included in the Code is on ventilation. The Code prescribes that the air supplied to food premises shall be of sufficient quality so as not to contaminate the equipment or the food, as unclean air, excessive dust or build-up of condensation or grease are all potential sources of food contamination.

Another significant area to the industry is that on temperature control during transport and storage. The Code endorses that all high risk and perishable foods requiring temperature-controlled environments to extend their shelf lives or limit microbial growth shall be transported, stored or distributed in equipment that consistently maintains certain temperatures. Speaking to Climate Control Middle East, Bobby Krishna Thulasi, Principal Food Studies and Surveys Officer, Food Control Department, Dubai Municipality, said: “Frozen food has to be kept at -18°C during transportation and storage, while chilled food has to be kept at 5°C.”

The Dubai Municipality will be organising workshops to introduce the Food Code. According to the Municipality, licensing requirements will be adapted to the Code.