DM confirms "Laban Up" is free from contamination

The Food Control Department at Dubai Municipality has confirmed that the product "Laban Up," a brand of Gulf & Safa Dairy LLC, is free from any yeast and mould contamination as it was proved from the tests conducted in the DM's Food and Environment Laboratory, in addition to three other laboratories of the country.

However, Khalid Mohammed Sharif Al Awadhi, Director of Dubai Municipality Food Control Department said that this is not contradicting the result of the test conducted on the product in one of the labs in the country as the specimen taken for that test represents the specimen itself, not all the products.

"There are other aspects that affect the result of the test such as the condition of the surroundings from where the specimen is taken, the temperature level in which the specimen is stored, the condition in which the specimen is transported to the lab, the way the test was conducted, and many other aspects," he pointed out.

Al Awadhi added that on getting the result of a test on a food sample from a food control lab in the country the result will be circulated by the Secretariat of UAE Municipalities to coordinate among the municipalities to conduct confirmation tests on specimens of the same product in order to ward off any doubt or mistake.

"This is also to avoid consequent incorrect measures that may affect the consumer as well as the foodstuff establishment. It is an example of good coordination between the food control bodies in the country for the public welfare," he said.

Al Awadhi said that these kinds of messages are taken up on a routine basis among the testing bodies in the country and there are committees and joint action teams between food control bodies that cooperate among themselves in the health and safety service of the society.

As regards the finding of contamination on the specimen taken for analysis by the lab, he said, it is assumed that the conditions in which the specimen is taken and its transportation to the lab might be unsuitable for storage.

Al Awadhi explained that any increase in bacteria can happen in conditions without air inside the food cans, which may lead to occurrence of the container getting open.

"It may not be noticed by the consumer while buying it. The scientifically known fact is that the enzymes influence the quality of the product, not its safety, in other words, it does not cause food poisoning incidents," he said.

Al Awadhi confirmed that the Food Control Department in Dubai Municipality has not received any complaint about the product in question and reassured the public on the safety of the product.

He also appealed not to spread any messages related to food products before contacting the specialists in the Food Control Department or any other food control authorities in the country for confirming the significance and the extent of credibility of these messages.