Food up, water down

There's been an awful
lot of official interest in food
recently, both shop-bought and
restaurant-based.
On the one hand, Abu Dhabi
officials announce plans to force
corner groceries into more modern
convenience stores and undertake
a major crackdown on hygiene
conditions in kitchens (and some of
the stories had us determined to
eat at home for quite some time!);
on the other, the Ministry of
Economy is taking a serious interest
in the ludicrous mark-up of water in restaurants and Dubai
Chamber of Commerce is being sanguine about rises in fresh food
prices (with the headline figure of a 52 percent year-on-year rise in
the price of mangoes, for instance). And, not strictly food related,
officials are taking a closer look at energy drinks as some are
believed to contain substances banned by athletic federations.
Best news for us, however, is the upcoming federal food safety
law which the Ministry of Environment and Water plans to adopt
before year end. Although only a general framework of
guidelines, it marks a significant step in improved food safety
and will be followed by more detailed legal codes. Importantly,
it will harmonise individual efforts by the seven Emirates and
municipal agencies, as well as bringing the UAE into line with
international legal standards.
Finally, the cost of eating out is rising dramatically and not just
because of the rush of celebrity chefs and restaurants to the
region. Steak and fish dishes, in particular, have risen sharply - up
almost a third in the past year. It is unclear how much of the
general rise is the cost of eating out is due to global food price
rises and how much restaurants and hotels trying to capitalise on
greater tourist numbers.
Paying too much? Charged more than AED 3 for a large bottle
of local water in a restaurant? Then, according to the Ministry of
Economy, you're paying too much. Call its consumer protection
hotline on: 600 52 2225 to know your rights.

Posted in: Food