UAE Food Producers Prepare for New Sodium, Sugar and Fat Limits

UAE packaged food manufacturers say they can comply with newly introduced caps on sodium, sugar, and fat, though some industry leaders caution of higher adjustment costs, Gulf News reported. The limits, issued by the Ministry of Health and Prevention, target key packaged food categories including leavened bread, flavoured yoghurt, laban, processed cheese, and chips. Non-compliant businesses risk fines between Dh5,000 and Dh500,000.

Under the specific thresholds, leavened bread will see sodium limits decrease from 444mg to 370mg per 100g, sugar capped down from 6g to 5g per 100g, and total fat reduced from 8.4g to 7g per 100g. Sweetened or flavoured yoghurt and laban will ultimately face a cap of 10g of total sugars per 100g, while sodium in chips and similar snacks must drop from 564mg to 470mg per 100g. All affected goods must meet final standards by December 31, 2030.

Compliance schedules are staggered depending on the category. Bread producers are given nine months from the resolution's effective date to satisfy initial-stage requirements, whereas processed cheese manufacturers receive two years and three months.

Producers have begun adjusting their production lines. Hassan Safi, Group CEO of Al Ain Farms Group, stated that the company has already reduced added sugars by 10% to 20% across select products under its Healthy Living initiative, acknowledging that reformulation requires significant one-time capital investment. PC Musthafa, Chairman and Global CEO of iD Fresh Food, noted that most of the firm's core products already meet the targets due to existing clean-label recipes, while warning of potential short-term cost pressures across the wider industry.