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19 March 2024

Vimto safe to drink: Dubai Municipality

Published
By Bindu Rai

A local favourite drink during Ramadan has found itself falling prey to the social media rumour mill, which has deemed Vimto unsafe for consumption.

Responding to the chatter on platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and even WhatsApp, the Food Safety Department with Dubai Municipality has debunked the rumour that claims the existence of carcinogens in Vimto.

In a statement posted on its official social media account, Dubai Municipality’s Executive Director of the Department of Food Safety, Khalid Sharif Al Awadhi, stated the credibility of the rumour comes under question considering it has not come from official sources.

Al Awadhi stated the rumour mongering is preying on the weak style of ‘scaring consumers with the existence of carcinogens in food’, adding that Food Safety Department has already addressed such stories in the past, in the days preceding the month of Ramadan.

He further explained that Vimto’s existence on the shelves is based on scientific facts regarding additives, and its safety is within the approved boundaries of local, regional and international bodies.

DM has further stated it has not received any official notification from any of the authorities inside or outside the country about the rumours.

The department has further noted the UAE is represented by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, which is working within the notification system in GCC that obliges sending notifications related to food safety for all countries immediately upon detection.

DM utilises an electronic monitoring system, which allows food classification and registration after confirmation of all materials used in its manufacturing and preparation.

The system also has the ability to keep track of all food products electronically to be sure of the food source, importing company, the distributor company and other required data.

Al Awadhi added that all imported, manufactured and traded products in Dubai (including Vimto) are under a tight regulatory system that includes field inspection and checking on the used systems and the sampling programme that is based on risk assessment.

“We did not get any proof during the inspection and regular audit that the mentioned product poses any risk to consumer health,” he added.

A carcinogen is a substance or radiation to an agent that can cause cancer. Some carcinogens do not affect the DNA directly, but lead to cancer in other ways.