The sharing of knowledge and expertise in agricultural and water technologies were top of the agenda during the visit of Mariam Hareb Almheiri, Minister of State for Food Security, to Israel.
The visit, aligned with the opening of the UAE embassy in Tel Aviv, kickstarted strategic cooperation in food and water security, with Israel and the UAE sharing numerous synergies in these fields. It also came amid growing industry-wide recognition of the importance of packaging in food safety.
“One of the main pillars of the UAE’s National Food Security Strategy 2051 is to increase the use of technology across the entire food value chain, while a second is to expand our international sources of food,” said Ms Almheiri.
“With the formalising of official relations between our two countries and the opening of a UAE embassy in Tel Aviv, the UAE now has a fantastic opportunity to add value to both of these key pillars.
“Israel has one of the best startup ecosystems in the world and, with the AgTech sector dominated by innovation, the UAE is particularly keen to explore collaboration in this area.
“Similarly, we have much we can offer by way of reciprocation. For example, our recently launched Food Tech Valley that aims to become a hub for AgTech can host both emerging and established Israeli companies that are pioneering vital initiatives that include controlled environment agriculture, seed treatment, precise irrigation, solar energy and desalination.”
Ms Almheiri signed an MoU with the Israeli Minister of Agriculture, Oded Forer, that aims to enhance cooperation in between the two countries in the areas of food production, food supply chains and research and innovations.
She also signed an MoU with Tamar Zandberg, Israeli Minister of Environmental Protection, aimed at sharing knowledge and expertise, as well as joining research efforts for the mitigation of climate change and ensuring biodiversity and ecosystem conservation.
During her visit, Ms Almheiri met Karine Elharrar, Israel’s Minister of National Infrastructures, Energy and Water Resources, and Issawi Frej, Israel’s Minister of Regional Cooperation, to discuss areas of mutual interest, and staged business meetings with CEOs of relevant companies.
Following the embassy opening, Ms Almheiri visited the Faculty of Agriculture at the Hebrew University, followed by an excursion to Ben Gurion University, where she attended the opening of the Moshe Mirilashvili Centre for Food Security in the Desert at Ben Gurion University in collaboration with Watergen. She then visited the Volcani Centre for Agricultural Research, after which she was taken to Mitrelli Group to meet with its President and CEO, Haim Taib.
Ms Almheiri’s visit also brought focus to the role of packaging in food safety. At every level of the supply chain, food safety procedures are closely scrutinised. Packaging is one of the most important factors, as it covers handling, shipping and storage. A lot can go wrong if food products are not protected from the elements.
Key considerations in food packaging include:
Freshness
Products can remain fresher for much longer under the right circumstances. By properly packaging goods, a consumer at the end of the supply chain can feel as if he or she is eating freshly obtained goods.
Contamination
Even locally grown and distributed food is at risk of contamination from bacteria.
Food products that will be shipped or stored for a longer period of time are at even greater risk. Packaging that locks out air and contaminants can mean the difference between happy, healthy customers and those who fall ill.
Contamination is a potentially deadly problem and can ruin your brand.
Physical damage
Even if your food is sealed and protected from contaminants, physical impacts and other forces can damage the product. That can be the case in food warehousing, shipping or simple materials handling.
Sturdy packaging is crucial to protecting products from trauma.
Tampering
Packaging should be designed to prevent tampering and include tamper-indication features such as breakaway closures, membranes or graphics that change as a result of interference. Not only will you be alerted right away to tampering, but you can also deter others who might try to open your packaging.
Perception
While consumer safety is clearly the top concern, brand image is worth protecting. Even if the risk of contamination or tampering is minimal, going the extra mile with packaging can demonstrate to consumers that you take their safety very seriously.
Attention to detail is vital to protecting your company and your image. Food packaging is one of the first things a consumer will notice.