Source : WAM
Dubai Municipality is participating in the 31st edition of the Gulf Food Exhibition, Gulfood 2026, the world’s largest annual food and beverage event, held at Dubai World Trade Centre from 26th to 30th January.
Through its participation, the Municipality is highlighting a variety of innovative digital services and qualitative initiatives designed to facilitate food trade and uphold the highest standards of food safety across the Emirate.
During the exhibition, Dubai Municipality unveiled a specialised laboratory dedicated to detecting insect residues in food products. This initiative reflects the Municipality’s forward-looking vision to develop an advanced laboratory ecosystem in line with international best practices and global food safety standards.
Dubai Central Laboratory has established a fully integrated facility equipped with state-of-the-art laboratory instruments and technologies, supported by specialised tools for the rapid and accurate detection of insect residues in food products, ensuring high precision and reliability in testing.
Key initiatives on display include the Laboratory Gateway project, providing simplified, science-based content to raise awareness and understanding of food safety concepts across various segments of society.
The Municipality is also presenting the Microscopic Exploration Unit, which employs advanced laboratory technologies at Dubai Central Laboratory, including robotic arms for precise sample preparation and virus testing. Visitors are introduced to Rashid Robot, offering an interactive experience and guiding audiences through the latest laboratory innovations and digital services.
In food safety operations, Dubai Municipality is showcasing a new generation of smart solutions aimed at improving regulatory efficiency and service quality. These include smart glasses for inspections at ports and food establishments, enabling fully digital and remote inspection processes at ports, warehouses, and facilities. This innovation enhances operational efficiency, reduces the need for on-site presence, and ensures high accuracy, transparency, and regulatory compliance.
The Municipality is also highlighting the Montaji+ system, an integrated platform regulating the circulation of imported and exported products within a unified framework that incorporates food, health, and safety requirements.
The platform features a comprehensive database of more than 1.5 million registered products, supporting effective monitoring, tracking, and facilitation of food import and export operations.
Designed as a seamless customer journey rather than standalone processes, Montaji+ covers registration, import, and export within a single digital ecosystem, enhancing regulatory efficiency and customer experience. The system was developed through benchmarking with over 12 regional and international entities and features a flexible architecture for continuous improvement based on user feedback.
Dubai Municipality is also showcasing its AI-powered virtual assistant Ghalia, developed to provide instant support and accurate responses on food safety and school nutrition guidelines in Dubai. The assistant serves students, parents, and food suppliers, offering fast, reliable access to essential regulatory and health information.
Dr. Naseem Mohammed Rafee, Acting CEO of the Environment, Health and Safety Agency at Dubai Municipality, stated that Gulfood serves as a leading global platform for exchanging knowledge, expertise, and innovation within the food and beverage sector.
