Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) is set to host the first-ever international conference in the region. The conference’s objective is to present worldwide breakthroughs and best practices in the fight against food fraud.
The conference, with the theme “Together to Combat Food Fraud,” is set for April 23 and 24 in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Along with experts from top international regulators in the fight against food fraud, officials of the regulatory authorities in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will also be attending.
There will also be participants from the commercial sector, such as manufacturers, producers, and dining venues, as well as officials from the UAE’s regulatory body.
The conference aims to review international advancements and best practices in the fight against food fraud, talk about national implementation of anti-food fraud procedures, share knowledge and experiences among participating authorities on identifying cases of food fraud and validating fraudulent practices, and evaluate the effects of food fraud practices on food supply chains to determine what steps should be taken to counteract these practices.
In addition, the conference intends to increase awareness of the threats that food fraud poses to consumers and the food industry while developing early warning systems, risk management techniques, and improving the detection, prediction, and evaluation of food fraud instances.
In addition to fostering improved collaboration between the nation’s regulatory agencies and those of the Gulf Cooperation Council, this conference offers a unique chance to share global best practices in the fight against food fraud. This partnership helps advance initiatives to improve food security and take the lead globally in this area.
Dr. Mariam Hareb Al Suwaidi, Deputy Director-General for Operational Affairs at ADAFSA, stressed the conference’s importance in reviewing and exchanging the latest global practices and developments in combating food fraud and developing a roadmap for collective work at the local and regional levels to monitor and combat food fraud practices across all stages of the food chain.
“ADAFSA is currently implementing a comprehensive roadmap to develop a strategy to combat food fraud throughout all stages of the food chain in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi,” Dr. Al Suwaidi said.
“This requires intensifying national efforts, cooperation, coordination, and integration among the various regulatory bodies in the country and stakeholders from producers, manufacturers, food establishments, and consumers to protect society and support fair practices in the food trade.” Al Suwaidi added.