Dubai is set to significantly enhance the nutritional standards in its school canteens with updated guidelines aimed at promoting healthier eating habits among students. This initiative, spearheaded by the Dubai Municipality, focuses on stricter portion control, improved nutritional value, and increased transparency in food offerings.
Key Takeaways
- Stricter guidelines on portion sizes and nutritional value.
- Introduction of a new digital platform, "My School Food."
- An AI chatbot named Ghalia to assist with nutrition queries.
- Emphasis on nutrient-rich foods, reduced sugar, and increased fiber.
- Promotion of sustainability through "Green Canteens."
Overhauling School Canteens for Healthier Choices
Dubai schools will soon be required to adhere to new regulations concerning the portion sizes and nutritional content of food served in their canteens. The Food Safety Department of Dubai Municipality is implementing these updated nutrition guidelines as part of a broader national agenda to combat childhood obesity and promote healthy lifestyles.
Childhood obesity is a significant public health concern, with studies indicating a high prevalence among children in the UAE. The new guidelines aim to address this by ensuring that school food options are calorie-conscious, clearly labeled, and rich in essential nutrients. This includes increasing fiber intake, reducing added sugars, and encouraging water consumption.
"My School Food" Platform and AI Integration
A groundbreaking digital initiative, "My School Food," has been launched to create a comprehensive ecosystem for food safety and nutrition in educational institutions. This platform aims to benefit all stakeholders, including caterers, schools, parents, teachers, and students. It covers over 400,000 students across more than 500 schools, nurseries, and universities.
The platform introduces "Enhanced Dubai Food and Nutrition Guidelines and Requirements for Educational Institutions," which mandate calorie counting, specific serving size criteria, and meal and age percentage requirements for clear portion control and consistent labeling. Additionally, an AI chatbot named Ghalia has been developed to provide instant, interactive guidance on nutrition-related questions, enhancing user experience and accessibility.
Promoting Sustainability and Food Safety
Beyond nutrition, the initiative also champions sustainability through the concept of ‘Green Canteens.’ This involves planning sustainable menus, prioritizing locally sourced food and ingredients, minimizing food waste, and reducing the use of single-use packaging materials. Food safety requirements are also being strengthened, with a focus on personal hygiene, allergen management, and implementing robust food safety controls specific to educational settings.
To ensure compliance, the municipality has introduced the role of a "Nutrition in Charge" (NIC) in schools. Catering companies supplying food to schools must register and undergo monthly audits. The platform also features a school food audit system and an interactive map displaying real-time school nutrition compliance, allowing for effective monitoring and data-based evaluations by food inspectors.