DUBAI: Dubai Municipality has revealed that there are more than 26,000 food establishments in the emirate.

The announcement was made during the civic body's participation in the 29th edition of Gulfood (Gulfood 2024), the world’s largest annual global food and beverage (F&B) sourcing event, which commenced today at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).

Sultan Al Taher, Director of Food Safety at Dubai Municipality, told the Emirates News Agency (WAM) that 8 million tonnes of food enter Dubai annually through various ports in the emirate, where they are subject to inspection and control.

He stressed that nearly 90% of all food and beverage imports destined for the UAE pass through the emirate of Dubai.

Al Taher said that Gulfood is an important opportunity to highlight the Dubai Municipality's efforts in building a sustainable food system in the emirate and supporting the achievement of the goals of the emirate's Food Security Strategy."

He pointed to the importance of the municipality's participation in Gulfood, an annual platform that brings together the most prominent food and beverage producers and suppliers around the world to exchange experiences, learn about global trends and future directions, and the latest developments in the food and beverage industry, production, and trade.

Al Taher highlighted the Dubai Municipality Food Excellence Program (DM Food Elite), which aims to recognise food establishments that excel in applying food safety and nutrition standards, environmental sustainability, social responsibility, innovation, and digitisation, in line with the country's initiatives in the Year of Sustainability, and within the framework of the municipality's efforts and strategic work axes in building a sustainable food system that ensures the safety and sustainability of food systems and makes Dubai more sustainable every day.

During its participation in the exhibition, Dubai Municipality is showcasing its most prominent integrated digital services that it provides to promote the food sector in the Emirate of Dubai, from facilitating import and export procedures, registration of food products and shipments, and enabling food establishments, traders, and suppliers of food materials to learn about the latest safety standards, food specifications, and environmental sustainability.