The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) has launched the Zadna Rating app to allow the public to view food outlet safety evaluation scores.

The public can also view scores from the SEHHI Program, launched by Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC) as part of efforts to provide safe and healthier food to the public and encourage food outlets to better their performance to raise food safety level across Abu Dhabi.

H.E. Saeed Al Bahri Al Ameri, Director General of ADAFSA, said: “The Zadna Rating initiative aims to enhance Abu Dhabi's efforts to develop safe and sustainable food systems, establish standards of quality life and well-being, and promote the emirate as a distinguished tourist destination in implementation of the vision of the wise leadership.

“Zadna Rating is one of the key strategic initiatives launched by ADAFSA as part of its Strategic Plan 2022-2025, which is endorsed by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Presidential Court, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority.”

He further stated that the initiative aims to enhance consumer confidence in ADAFSA control procedures, establish the principles of transparency, and encourage food outlets to compete for excellence in addition to complying with food safety standards and regulations, for a more flexible and innovative economic environment.

H.E. Al Ameri also pointed out that the Zadna Rating app will serve as an electronic platform for all residents, tourists, and visitors of the emirate of Abu Dhabi, enabling them to view food outlets compliance score, and improve their experience when visiting restaurants, cafes and bakeries across the Emirate by facilitating access to the electronic platform, as it can either be downloaded from ADAFSA website or accessed via the evaluation sticker placed on the frontside of food establishments.

“Zadna Rating platform targets food outlets operating in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, as it translates their participation score in the SEHHI Program implemented by the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC).”

For his part, H.E. Mattar Al Nuaimi, Director General of ADPHC, said: “The Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre has contributed to achieving the objectives of international, regional and national policies and strategies to promote health through many programmes and initiatives that reflect the centre’s vision towards a healthy and safe society, and its mission to promote the health of the people of Abu Dhabi and ensure the safety of its workers through the implementation of an integrated system of public health and preventive programmes with the highest levels of innovation, excellence and creativity. One of its strategic priorities is to encourage the community to practice a healthy lifestyle.

“Our participation in the Zadna Rating platform project is part of our support to spread awareness about healthy food through our programmes based on improving the eating habits of the community and improving the options available in restaurants and food establishments and schools.

“This assessment application is accessible via ADPHC website or the QR code placed on the frontside of food outlets,” H.E. Al Nuaimi added.

ADPHC programmes include a healthy menu programme, which highlights the nutritional and calorific content of menu items in restarants and food establishments, a supermarket and grocery health programme, which showcases healthy food choices in-store and online, and the health schools programme, which aims to create a healthy, tobacco-free nutritional environment around schools and works to encourage and facilitate access to and consumption of healthy food among students. Several guides are also in production to promote the correct safe conditions and procedures to be taken during all stages of the food chain. 

H.E. Al Nuaimi further stated that the Zadna Rating for restaurants, cafes, bakeries, and catering companies consists of two separate assessments that were merged to become one comprehensive rating of the food establishment, as food safety is rated according to the results of routine visits scheduled as part of the annual inspection plan implemented by ADAFSA, as well as the level of compliance with food safety requirements and regulations in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.

The rating criteria for food outlets depend on the degree of compliance with food safety requirements, including the layout and infrastructure, equipment and food waste disposal facilities, health and personal hygiene of workers, evaluation of food handling areas and temperature control level.