Dubai Investments subsidiary reinforces commitment to excellence as it looks to compete globally

December 28, 2005

Dubai Investments' wholly owned subsidiary Marmum, a leading Dubai-based dairy, recently acquired the US Food and Drug Association's (FDA) HACCP certification as a result of its commitment to establish itself as premier producer of diary products. Marmum was awarded the certification after an audit carried out by M/S B.M. Trada, accredited certifiers for HACCP.

FDA's HACCP focuses on eliminating potential hazards associated with a food product by first identifying possible hazards and then initiating preventative measures to control them. Hazards could be biological, such as a microbe; chemical, such as a toxin; or physical, such as ground glass or metal fragments. HACCP works by establishing critical control points in any food's production process, where steps may be taken to control or eliminate the hazard. Examples are cooking, cooling, packaging, and metal detection.

The process also establishes a comprehensive monitoring system for the critical control points, and undertakes corrective action if a critical limit is exceeded. There is emphasis on thorough record keeping ensure continual firm evaluation.

Alan Comyn, General Manager, Marmum, said, "The size and diversity of the regional food industry calls for a rating method that can signify product quality and safety to the consumer. Marmum's HACCP certification is testament to our stringent quality control and premium dairy products. There is a growing trend in international trade for worldwide equivalence of food products and HACCP as the international standard for food safety. Marmum's certification will allow us to compete at a global level with other international players."

Marmum was awarded its HACCP certification after a rigorous series of process, cleaning and record checks culminating in a through overall system evaluation where the entire HACCP team was queried about its work processes. The diary was found to be in compliance with international standards.

"Not only does our HACCP let us focus on identifying and preventing hazards from contaminating food, it also permits more efficient management and governmental oversight as detailed recordkeeping allows investigators to see how well a firm is complying with food safety laws over a period of time. Acquiring this much-sought certification is an important milestone in Marmum's growth," Comyn added.

Marmum Dairy Farm has been operating since 1982, and was acquired by Dubai Investments in 1996. The dairy has diverse portfolio of milk, cream and yoghurt products particularly tailored to serving regional market preferences.

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© Press Release 2005