UAE cabinet approves policy to categorise food products on nutritional value

All food products in the UAE will soon have to display nutritional value labels highlighting information on sugar, salt, fat content as well as calories, according to a new policy adopted by the UAE cabinet on Sunday.

Food products will be categorised as one of three colours – red, yellow and green, to clearly distinguish their nutritional values, a statement said.

However, the system will exclude fresh produce, such as fruits, vegetables, meat and fish, as well as soft drinks and energy drinks.

The move is aimed at promoting public health and encouraging people to choose healthy foods.

“The impact of this policy on the community will be assessed before its mandatory adoption in future”, a statement said.

It comes after the Dubai Municipality announced earlier this year that all restaurants in the emirate have to display calorie contents in the menus from January 1, 2020.

Restaurants with more than five branches have a deadline of November 1, 2019 to implement the decision.

The Dubai Municipality will be the first local authority in the country to implement such a rule.

Read: All Dubai restaurants will soon have to display calorie content on menus

During the cabinet meeting on Sunday, officials also approved a range of federal decisions and laws related to the health sector to support public health and provide healthcare services.

That included a policy to combat communicable diseases, as well as federal draft laws related to public health and restructuring the country’s Health Council.

The meeting also approved a federal law on public health to “protect the society from all health risks”.

The regulation aims to enhance the cooperation and coordination for the preparedness and required response to face health problems, the statement said.

A resolution to restructure the Health Council with a mandate of three years was also approved.

Under the chairmanship of the Health minister, the council will include representation from across the sector, with participation from government and private entities in the country.

“These decisions aim to create a comprehensive nation-wide approach to health, promote cooperation among relevant federal and local authorities,” the statement said.

“They also aim to create a healthcare system with the participation of all related sectors, to raise the health standards of the community, achieve prosperity, and provide healthcare services to all citizens and residents,” it added.