Food safety experts from around the world gathered in Dubai to discuss critical issues of food safety, including specialists from the UAE, Australia, France, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, the UK, and the USA.
Held alongside Gulfood 2007, the region’s largest food and foodservice trade exhibition, Dubai International Food Safety Conference received overwhelming response from the industry with over 400 delegates from 13 countries attending the event.
“Dubai World Trade Centre is pleased to note that this year’s conference was the most international yet held, because the issues surrounding food safety demonstrate the extent to which we are all globally interdependent,” said Helal Saaed Al Marri, Director General, Dubai World Trade Centre, who delivered an opening address to the visiting experts.
“The best practices and standards discussed and developed at the event will not only protect the health of the people of the UAE, they will also ensure that we are taking a lead in the world market for exports and re-exports,” he added.
Food safety is a global concern for both the developed and the developing world.
For example, in USA, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that food-borne diseases cause approximately 76 million illnesses every year, as well as 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths. In South East Asia, approximately one million children under five years of age die each year from consuming contaminated food and water.
While international trade has increased the diversity of available food and reduced prices through increased competition, it has also strengthened the need for agreed regional and international standards of food safety, according to experts attending the conference.
The first day of the conference saw an opening presentation by His Excellency Eng. Hussein Bin Lootah, Acting Director General of Dubai Municipality, and a Keynote Address on “Food Safety Strategy in Dubai,” reflecting the Emirate’s strong interest in this area.
Other topics under discussion included the approaches to the Safety Assessment of Genetically Modified Foods applied by the Food Science and Technology Group, University of New South Wales, Australia and best practices in food safety, as developed by Aqaba Special Economic Zone- Jordan.
Gulfood 2007 - The 12th Gulf Food, Hotel and Equipment Exhibition and Salon Culinaire, organised by Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), will be held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre from 19 – 22 February 2007. The opening hours are 11.00 to 19.00 on 19 – 21 February, and 11.00 to 17.00 on 22 February.
Gulfood is strictly a trade-only event and is open for business and trade visitors only, proof of which must be provided at registration. General public and persons under the age of 21 will not be allowed into the exhibition.
About Gulfood www.gulfood.com
Organised since 1987, Gulfood is the region's largest and most important industry event of the year and a strategic platform for buyers and sellers to conduct direct business face to face. The exhibition is a showcase for manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers from around the world, representing all of the key sectors within the food and hospitality trade.
In 2006, Gulfood brought together 2,173* companies from 70 countries and featured 46 national pavilions. The exhibition attracted 32,022* trade visitors from 146 countries including buying delegations not only from the Middle East but as far as Azerbaijan, Armenia, Brunei, Canada, Croatia, Egypt, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Malta, Morocco, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Tunisia, UK and USA.
*Gulfood 2006 was audited and monitored by KPMG.
About Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) www.dwtc.com
As the organiser of Gulfood 2007, Dubai World Trade Centre offers over 27 years’ experience of delivering world-class events in the Middle East, providing local, regional and international exhibitors with unmatched expertise and in-depth market knowledge. Our team organises 14 of the largest and most successful international and regional shows in Middle East, providing an ideal platform for business development in the region.
Our commitment to ongoing innovation within the exhibition industry has supported the rapid growth and development of a wide range of business-to-business and business-to-consumer shows, and delivered consistent satisfaction to exhibitors and visitors. DWTC works the region’s leading trade bodies and industry associations to ensure that all conferences deliver full value and are built upon the real needs of their specific sector.
