Less salt, sugar and fat in UAE packaged foods, but MOHAP says taste won’t change

Dubai: The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) confirmed that the decision to specify the proportions of sodium, sugars and fats in some locally manufactured or imported food products, which began to be implemented on October 1, aims to improve their nutritional composition, while preserving their taste and texture. It noted that food companies will use modern technologies, methods and innovations to reduce the proportions of these components, and to maintain the characteristics that consumers are accustomed to in products circulating in the markets. MOHAP explained that the gradual implementation of the decision, which extends until the end of 2030, gives companies enough time to modify and develop their product recipes, addressing consumers' concerns about sudden changes in taste, and achieving a balance between improving nutritional value and enjoying food. It stated that, in cooperation with relevant health and regulatory authorities nationwide, it has prepared a comprehensive monitoring plan to oversee the implementation of the decision and ensure that food establishments adhere to the maximum limits set for sodium, sugars, and fats. The plan includes inspecting products and facilities, collecting samples of food products circulating in the markets for laboratory testing, and taking necessary measures against non-compliant establishments, including warnings, fines, and the removal of non-compliant products from the market, in accordance with approved procedures. In detail, Nouf Khamis Al Ali, Director of the Health Promotion Department at the Ministry of Health and Prevention, said that the Ministry has been keen since the beginning of the initiative, to take into account the connection between food and the pleasure of eating, memories and social gatherings, stressing that the goal is to improve the nutritional composition of products in a way that supports public health, while preserving the consumer experience, so that people do not have to choose between healthy food and delicious food. Nouf Khamis Al Ali, Director of the Health Promotion Department at the Ministry of Health and Prevention. Picture credit: Supplied She added that the Ministry studied, during the preparation of the project, the technologies and means that food companies can adopt to compensate for the decrease in targeted ingredients, such as salt and sugar, while maintaining the taste and texture of the products, noting that the gradual change gives companies more time to modify their current recipes, and also allows the consumer to gradually adapt to any possible difference in taste. Al Ali explained in media statements that the decision targets a group of food components whose excessive consumption is linked to health problems, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, noting that a study conducted by the Ministry during the years 2024 and 2025 showed an increase in salt consumption among members of society, as 96% of them exceed the recommended levels, while the average sodium consumption reached about 5,000mg per day, compared to the recommended level reported by the Ministry, which is 2,000mg per day. She emphasised that the decision aims to create a food environment that makes healthy choices more accessible to members of society. MOHAP explained that consumers often shop in a hurry and don't always have enough time to read nutrition labels and compare the ingredients of different products. Therefore, reducing the levels of targeted ingredients in specific products helps provide nutritionally improved options without requiring consumers to search for them separately. Al Ali noted that food companies have been partners with the Ministry since the project's inception, with meetings held to allow them to explore available local and international solutions and technologies. She stressed that improving the nutritional composition of products does not mean they can be consumed in unlimited quantities, clarifying that reducing sodium, sugars, and fats does not eliminate their calorie content. Regarding implementation, Al Ali explained that issuing the decision marks the beginning of the process, and the next phase requires continuous monitoring, inspections, sampling, laboratory testing, and taking action against non-compliant establishments. She affirmed that achieving these goals requires time and integration among various health interventions and cannot be accomplished overnight. The decision, issued by the Ministry with the aim of promoting public health and reducing rates of obesity and other non-communicable diseases related to unhealthy food, specified a set of administrative penalties when it is proven that a food establishment does not comply with the maximum limits of the targeted ingredients, or trades in a non-compliant product, to be imposed according to the severity of the violation, the circumstances of its commission and the extent of its repetition. The penalties include a warning