(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Public schools will have healthier food options, said the Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) which has selected 27 new food suppliers for its school canteens.
The suppliers, who will manage and supply the foods at the cafeterias, were approved by the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) following the School Canteen Guidelines' stringent criteria.
The School Canteen Guidelines, which were enforced last academic year, were jointly reviewed by the Adec, ADFCA and the Health Authority-Abu Dhabi (HAAD). This was in order to guide students on the correct nutritional practices and protect them from any health-related risks, such as in case of food poisoning. Workers at school canteens and suppliers were required to comply with the guidelines. Hilal Al Marzouqi, Adec's School Canteen Committee chair, said each school will be monitoring the new service and will submit a report by the end of each trimester regarding the quality of services and the supplier's commitment to the set conditions.
A School Canteen Committee was tasked to monitor the quality of foods being served to students, their nutritional values and prices.
The guidelines include requirements and conditions to be followed by food suppliers such as ensuring "the preservation of food starting from location and facility to getting rid of waste, equipment and tools; food production location; foodstuff handling; staff health and hygiene; cleanliness; temperature; delivery and storage; display and packaging", stated Ahmad Abdul Karim Al Sharaf, acting director of Communication and Community Service at the ADFCA. It also identified which foods are allowed, those that are not and foods that can be served provided certain conditions are met.
"The guidelines were developed" to identify different types of food which should be available at schools based on a student's age, amount of calories needed by students during a school day, as well as, offering a diversified weekly menu that contains different food elements," said Dr Mubarak Al Darmaki, Adec's Health Management manager.
According to Dr Arwa Al Medwahi, senior public health officer, Family and School Health at the HAAD, a school student requires five portions of fruits and vegetables each day. "It is difficult to get them if they are not available in schools.
Meals available at the school canteens need to be balanced in order to ensure the required nutrients are provided."
According to the new rule, junk foods, soft drinks, foods high in fat and sugar and processed meats such as sausages, hotdogs, shawarma, nuggets and burgers cannot be served to students.
Foods that will be allowed provided they meet the required conditions including low-fat milk, butter-free popcorn, cereals that are free of dyes and fortified with iron, stuffed pies and manakish not exceeding 52 grams. Rice, noodles and pasta will also be allowed provided noodles does not contain sodium glutamate and not more than 220 ml. According to the Ministry of Health, 60 per cent of school students between the ages of five and 14 years consume chips and chocolates daily. Only 28 per cent consume vegetables while 23.2 per cent eat fruits daily.
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