Being part of the activities in connection with Zayed Heritage Festival, Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) has hosted the first certified food scientist of UAE, Dr. Yusuf Al Saadi who delivered an awareness lecture on food safety and safe food handling. A good number of festival visitors attended the program held inside the Agriculture Oasis- authority's stand in the festival.

In his lecture, Dr. Al Saadi stressed the importance of following ADFCA's instructions regarding safe handling of food especially during desert picnics and camps. According to him, desert goers should ensure that the meet supposed to consume during the trip is purchased from approved sources. Using natural wood for cooking instead of artificial ones, not using the plastic containers supposed to carry hot items for keeping cool food products and using only disposable utensils are the other important food safety points to be taken care of while one plans desert camps or trips, he said.

While talking about the safe practices while shopping food items, he warned about the risk factor of keeping raw food and ready-to-eat food mixed up in the shopping trolley. He said picking up frozen or chilled items in the beginning of shopping won't be a good idea given the possible variations in the temperature levels. Reading food labels before purchasing any food, keeping chemical and detergent items away from food items and transporting food items home soon after the billing are the other important things considered as safe shopping, he added.

In the kitchen, according to him, there are several things one have to take care of in order to make his family safe from food-borne diseases. Hand washing before and after food preparation, scientific washing of dishes and equipment, systematic cleaning of refrigerator and using separate cutting boards for meat and vegetables are some practices, simple to do but are having great impact on the safety of our food.  He reminded the housewives attended the lecture not to heat food slightly during reuse, rather it should be heated at more than 70 Degree Celsius given the fact that simple heating may help bacterial growth which will risk human health.

It is noted that ADFCA's stand in the festival known as Agriculture Oasis is contributing much in disseminating awareness among public. From the beginning of the popular festival a number of awareness programs and activities have been organized to raise awareness in the area of food and agriculture.