As part of Dubai Municipality's efforts to promote public health in the Emirate, the Food and Environment Laboratories Section of the Dubai Central Laboratory Department in the Municipality, began testing the molecular profiling to diagnose bacterial pathogens that cause food poisoning using Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) for pathogens transmitted through food.

"This step comes in coordination with the US-based International Foodborne Pathogens Monitoring Network," said Maha Al Hajiri, Head of Food and Environment Laboratories Section.

She pointed out that Food and Environment Laboratories Section in Dubai is the first local authority to use this advanced technology, which is expected to significantly impact the ability to detect the causes of food poisoning, which means increasing confidence in the regulatory bodies in the country in protecting consumers and promoting public health.

"The presence of Dubai Municipality within the International Network for Foodborne Disease Surveillance will improve communication with food safety authorities around the world. Information on pathogens detected through this network can be shared and the procedures required for controlling imported food can be taken," said Al Hajiri.

She added that this is a basic step ahead of the laboratory’s application of genome sequencing techniques, which will make another quantum leap after the launch of its use by the American Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

"Our Food and Environment Laboratories Section will become the main reference laboratory for such tests in the UAE and we will begin receiving bacterial isolates from laboratories of health establishments operating in Dubai and all emirates, as well as bacterial isolates that can be sent by laboratories of food establishments wishing to know the source of bacterial contamination in those establishments or in their food products and to link this contamination to the site taking bacterial isolation in order to take necessary action," said Al Hajiri.