Mr. Saeed Jassim, Manager of Outreach and Education at Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, said: "The organization of this workshop is part of a number of awareness activities the department is working on, covering all topics of food safety and livestock and agriculture.  This was one of the last activities the department worked on for Eid al-Adha campaign, which focused on consumer awareness for the need to slaughter animals within the approved slaughterhouses, highlighting the harms of improper slaughter, and the dangers to which they may be exposed as a result of this practice."

Dr. Hamid Rajab Hamed, Extension Services Specialist at ADFCA, moderated the workshop, presenting the audience with an overview of the history of Brucellosis and its characteristics, and mentioning the animals that are more vulnerable to this disease and the characteristics of the bacteria that cause this disease.

The workshop also illustrated how animals get infected with the disease, diagnostic methods used, the relationship of this disease to humans in terms of characteristics and the segments of people most susceptible.   Important categories include people with bad eating habits who accept to drink raw milk and people who deal directly with animals. 

The presentation illustrated the symptoms of infection in humans that include high fever, cold, swelling of lymph glands, fatigue and general weakness in the body.  The presentation also explained methods of treatment and prevention, which are simple steps such as boiling milk before drinking, wearing protective clothing when dealing with animals, commitment to biosecurity requirements when dealing with aborted fetuses and newborn animals' secretions, as well as the requirements of occupational safety when dealing with animals and / or laboratory samples.

On this occasion, Mr. Mohamed Jalal Al Reyaysa, Director of Communication and Community Service at ADFCA, said: "The Brucellosis disease is considered one of the serious diseases transmitted from animals to humans, and this awareness workshop comes within an integrated action plan developed by the authority to ensure consumers deal with food in the correct way, especially when it comes to milk and dairy products."

Mr. Reyaysa pointed out that targeting teachers is an effective way to transfer information and awareness advice to the students who will in their turn transfer this information to their parents, indicating that the Authority is knocking all doors it deems appropriate to raise food awareness to consumers, seeking thereby to establish food safety principles at all the levels of society.