Abu Dhabi, 27 March 2025: Adopting healthy eating patterns that ensure you stay active and energized throughout the day during the holy month of Ramadan is of a paramount importance; that is why the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (ADQCC), in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC), has launched the first-of-its-kind Nutrition Label initiative in the region to empower consumers to make sound nutritional decisions through clear labeling of food products.
Fasting is an ideal opportunity to rethink dietary habits and make healthier choices, and the Nutrition Label system helps fasting people to easily choose the right foods, improving overall health and minimizing issues associated with fasting, such as fatigue, dehydration and vitamin deficiencies.
The Nutrition Label is based on an innovative visual classification of food products into five categories from A to E, with different colors reflecting their nutritional value, which helps consumers, especially during fasting periods, to choose foods that are rich in essential nutrients, while reducing the consumption of products with low nutritional values.
The nutrition labeling system provides several benefits that support public health and enhance quality of life, including improving nutritional awareness by providing consumers with clear information about the nutritional value of foods, enabling them to make informed health decisions; promoting general health by helping to choose balanced meals that contain essential nutrients, reducing fatigue and dehydration during fasting; and enabling consumers to easily select the healthiest food products, encouraging the adoption of sustainable and long-term eating habits in line with the UAE's vision to enhance quality of life and reduce health risks
H.E. Engineer Abdullah Hassan Al Muaini, Executive Director of the Central Testing Laboratory, emphasized the importance of this system in achieving a qualitative leap in nutritional awareness,
‘The nutrition labeling system represents a strategic step towards promoting public health, especially during the holy month of Ramadan, when choosing healthy foods becomes a priority to maintain the body's balance,’ He said.
’this initiative supports individuals in making scientifically-based nutritional decisions, which contributes to enhancing the quality of life and preventing malnutrition-related diseases.’ He added.
MR. Muaini explained that the application of the nutrition label on food products is scheduled to start in mid-2025, with the first phase covering oils, dairy products, beverages, bakery products and baby food, with future expansion plans to cover more food categories.
The Executive Director of the Central Testing Laboratory confirmed that the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council will provide technical support to manufacturers to improve the quality of food products and raise health and food safety standards in the country.
The initiative reflects the UAE's commitment to creating a more conscious food environment where consumers, especially those who are fasting, can make healthier and more sustainable food choices.
Through the labeling system, a healthy lifestyle that minimizes chronic diseases, improves energy levels and promotes overall wellbeing is promoted, in line with the national vision to make the UAE one of the most advanced countries in terms of public health and wellbeing.
As efforts continue to enhance the quality of life in the country, the Nutritional Labeling System represents a pioneering step towards a healthier dietary future, where everyone, especially during Ramadan, has the opportunity to make conscious food choices that improve the quality of life and enhance the health of individuals and society as a whole.
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