Being part of efforts to achieve food safety and to raise awareness among consumers on safety of food products, Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, the food safety vanguard of Abu Dhabi government, has organized a Smart Shopping campaign in Al Ain which ran three days consecutively.

During the campaign, ADFCA inspectors visited several shopping complexes, interacted with consumers and shared with them valuable information on how to be safe and smart while purchasing, transporting and storing food.

Thamer Al Qasemi, Spokesperson of Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority said, the campaign targeted food shoppers in Al Ain with the objective of educating smart practices during shopping which are having great impact on protecting consumer's health.

"There are some smart and safe practices to be taken care of while we visit any shop to buy food. Simple to practice but having negative impact on the safety if neglected, these things should be given much importance in our day-to-day shopping" AlQasemi said.

"To read carefully the food labels, picking frozen items only in the end, avoid mixing up ready-to-eat and raw food in the basket, keeping cleaning products in contact with food and keeping food in the air-conditioned area of the car along the way back home are some of the smart practices we highlighted in our campaign. Consumers need to be educated on these simple things in order to ensure a safe and sustainable food scene in the emirate" he explained further.

According to him, the inspectors talked one to one to individual consumers, distributed awareness materials and answered their questions in addition to giving away mementoes to them during the campaign.

In the wake of the campaign, he urged public to contact ADFCA for any information to make their food purchases and handling safe. He also asked the consumers to contact authorities at 800555 any time if come across anything that might pose risk to the public health and safety.