UAE and Dubai Obtain EU Commission Approval

Dubai, 7, February 2013

The Emirates Industry for Camel Milk & Products (EICMP), producer of the leading camel milk products 'Camelicious', announced that the UAE and Dubai have received final approval from the European Commission as per Commission Regulation (EU) No 605/2010 to become the first country in the Middle East to export dairy products to the European Union.

The EU Commission ratified the camel milk safety plan presented by EICMP (Camelicious) and confirmed its compliance to the EU's food safety and health guidelines, making Camelicious the first Middle Eastern dairy factory to export its products to the 27-country Eurozone. EICMP's achievement was a result of the close and fruitful cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and Water (MOEW) and Dubai Municipality, both of whose support was crucial during the five-year-long process, issuing and amending regulations and guidelines to comply with those of the EU Commission with respect to camel milk production as well as health and safety guidelines in the food manufacturing industry.

The approval comes after several rounds of inspections made by EU Commission delegates to the EICMP (Camelicious) factory as well as audits to the guidelines and requirements of MOEW and Dubai Municipality. EICMP (Camelicious) has, over the past five years, worked diligently on accomplishing this important objective, which reflects positively on the nation as well as the company. These include: obtaining international standards and regulations such as ISO 22000 and HACCP; attracting world-class experts from the Eurozone in the field of public health and safety; investing in highly-advanced food manufacturing and safety technologies; and cooperating with international and local laboratories to analyse a large number of milk samples for residue, heavy metals, and microbiology. These tests, carried out in cooperation with MOEW and the Dubai Central Laboratory of the Dubai Municipality, consistently proved the safety and quality of the 'Camelicious' milk. Results where regularly shared to the EU Commission to verify compliance with export standards.

Mutasher Al-Badry, Deputy General Manager & Business Development Manager at EICMP (Camelicious) commented on the achievement saying: "First I would like to thank H.E. the Minister of Environment and Water for his continuous support and I thank the entire MOEW team. I also want to thank H.E. the Director General of Dubai Municipality, the Health and Public Safety Department, the Veterinary Department, the Dubai Central Laboratory, and all others parties involved. I also want to highlight the central role played by the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) under the directives of its Administrative Director Dr. Ali Ridha Al Hashimi, and Scientific Director Dr. Ulrich Wernery. Of course I can't forget our team at EICMP (Camelicious) and the effort they put in."

"Camel milk is, without a doubt, one of the best dairy products in the world because of its exceptional health and nutritional value. The EU Commission's approval for the export of Camelicious products is a stamp of approval to the quality standards of the UAE in general, and to our company in particular.

"International research on camel milk has resulted in increased global demand for the product, and we will be taking steps to boost production in order to meet that demand, both regionally and globally. We also have plans to partner with international companies to utilize camel milk in other areas such as medicine, beauty products, and specialized foods because of its great benefits."

EICMP was established in 2003 and launched its first product in 2006. It is the largest camel milk farm and factory in the world, housing a herd of about 3,000 happy and healthy camels and employing world-class standards to produce the highest-quality camel milk in the world.

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About Emirates Industry for Camel Milk & Products (EICMP)
Over 25 years ago, the idea of a camel-milking facility was born at the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) in Dubai. Research commenced on a small number of camels that were raised there with the specific aim of obtaining scientific proof of the incredible health benefits of the traditional Bedouin staple that is camel milk. The goal was to later introduce camel milk to the market where it would be accessible to a large number of consumers and not limited to the few camel herders in the country.

Work commenced on creating Emirates Industry for Camel Milk & Products (EICMP) in 2003, following the completion of the research. By 2006, the milk production facility was completed and camel milk products hit the market in August of the same year.

The EICMP facility, housed within the farm, is unique - it's the world's first sophisticated camel milking plant, incorporating state-of-the-art technology and camel research. Specially designed equipment for milking camels has been developed to optimize milk production and increase the comfort of the camels during the procedure. The state-of- the-art UAE production facility also meets the most stringent regulations set by Dubai Municipality, the EU, and various global organizations responsible for food safety and hygiene. EICMP, in coordination with the Ministry of Environment and Water, is in the process of becoming the first facility in the Middle East to receive EU Commission approval to export its products to the EU zone.

Emirates Industry for Camel Milk & Products now has a herd of about 3,000 happy and healthy camels producing life-enriching "Camelicious" camel milk, which is available in both plain and flavored varieties including strawberry, dates, saffron, and chocolate. Research continues to produce even more flavors that satisfy the taste-buds of all consumers.

The benefits of camel milk are numerous, and you may know that, along with dates, it formed the staple diet of Bedouins. It is rich in vitamins, naturally low in fat, rich in unsaturated fatty acids, and has three times as much vitamin C as cow milk. It has been proven to be the closest to mother's milk in terms of composition and characteristics. It also boosts the immunity system and is easily digestible due to the fact it doesn't curdle in acidic environments such as the stomach.

EICMP also produces 'Al Nassma', the world's first and finest camel milk chocolate. Al Nassma's product line consists of chocolates produced without preservatives or chemical additives in a range of locally popular spices, nuts and honey.

For more information, please visit our website:
www.camelicious.ae

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© Press Release 2013