A team of Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority will be part of UAE's official Hajj Mission this year, to provide pilgrims all that needed in terms of food safety awareness.

The team will be ready to give all kind of instructions and guidance to the pilgrims throughout the journey up and fro as well as during the days in Hajj on a variety of matters related to handling of food and water. The ADFCA food inspectors would visit UAE camps to support pilgrims to ensure health and safety of food as well as to educate them safe food handling practices.

Ali Yousef Al Saad, Acting Director Of Communication & Community Service Division of ADFCA said, food safety officers at the authority are keen to provide the pilgrims travelling to Makkah safety instructions based on the latest knowledge in this field.

We are committed to ensure that all pilgrims performing hajj under UAE mission are safe in terms of their food, he said.

According to him, handling of food- with all its varieties- from cooked food to packaged and bottled products, safe storage of products with the focus on temperature levels need to be maintained in different situations, precautions to be taken while purchasing food and beverages and personal hygiene are the main areas to be addressed during the travel and stay in Holy places.

"Commonly pilgrims would be in a hurry to cook and consume food, neglecting the safety side of products they buy and premises they use to prepare and store it. So an expert supervision over their food is of paramount importance which is we are going to perform" he said.

He said, buying food products from unknown hawkers and purchasing openly displayed products is of a serious concern.

He advised pilgrims never to rely on street hawkers to fulfill their food needs.

"Consuming only packaged and bottled products from known manufacturers will be the best and safe choice during Hajj. But make sure that there is no leakage or damage on the packets" – he advised.

He urged those who are travelling to the Holy places to have a better understanding about food safety before they start.

It is learnt that ADFCA has prepared printed materials for distributing among the pilgrims affiliated with UAE Hajj mission. At the meantime the authority has started spreading general food safety awareness targeting Hajj pilgrims using various means including social media.