Dubai food bank aims to combat hunger and reduce waste

Record ID: 876662

  • Title: Dubai food bank aims to combat hunger and reduce waste
  • Date: 23rd May 2017
  • Summary: DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (FILE) (REUTERS) DUBAI STREET WITH TRAFFIC
  • Embargoed: 6th June 2017 14:08
  • Keywords: United Arab Emirates Dubai UAE food bank
  • Location: DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
  • City: DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
  • Country: United Arab Emirates
  • Topics: Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA0026I2447P
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Dubai recently opened a food bank in an attempt to cut down on food waste and provide leftovers to those in need.
    The UAE Food Bank launched last month and has agreed with local hotels, restaurants and supermarkets to receive regular donations of unwanted food.
    The donations are then distributed to local charities in Dubai and the emirates to help feed the needy.
    "People contact us to send food to the UAE Food Bank, and we check the expiry date of the food and its packaging and the safety of the products; and then we store it in the cooling containers and contact charities, both inside and outside of Dubai, and start distributing the food among the different charities," said Abdullah Badrani, the UAE Food Bank supervisor.
    The donated food is first inspected by hygiene supervisors and either frozen and stored in cooling containers or kept in boxes for charities to pick up.
    Hygiene and Safety Manager Ravi Arul explained that food donations are subject to the highest safety standards.
    "In case we have 500 packs function, only 300 came, 200 people food is at the back. That can be easily given to the food bank. How it is being done? These 200 packs of food is brought back to the kitchen, blast chilled - if it is a hot food it is blast chilled, or if it is a cold food then it is straight away going into the chiller, and it is packed and kept ready for the food bank," he said.
    During the holy month of Ramadan, the food bank has pledged to distribute more than 100 fridges across the country's mosques and public areas for volunteers to easily make donations and for those in need to pick them up.
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