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Selling infant formula and baby food in the UAE

In the UAE, infant formula and baby food are food under Federal Law No. 10 of 2015: they are registered in ZAD before they are traded, carry an Arabic label meeting the mandatory food standards, and need ministry approval on first import. Feeding bottles, teats and soothers fall under MoIAT's child care articles scheme.

Updated · Each section links to the official source it comes from

Food law
Federal Law No. 10 of 2015 on Food Safety
Registration
The federal ZAD system
Label standard
UAE.S 9:2019 and UAE.S GSO 2233:2019
Storage (Dubai example)
Infant formula below 25°C, as the label specifies
Feeding equipment
Cabinet Resolution No. 34 of 2019 on child care articles

Before a product goes on sale

The questions to answer, in the order they usually come up.

  1. 1Is the product registered in ZAD, and is this its first import? Read more
  2. 2Does the Arabic label meet the mandatory labelling and nutrition standards, with storage conditions? Read more
  3. 3Does it contain animal-derived ingredients that need a halal certificate? Read more
  4. 4Are bottles, teats, soothers or feeding utensils sold with it? Read more
  5. 5Can each lot be traced and recalled? Read more

The rules, by area

What each area covers, the texts that set it, and what the official pages say.

Food law and registration

The federal food law and the registration before sale.

  • Federal Law No. 10 of 2015 on Food Safety sets standards for the safety and quality of food across the UAE.
  • Food that is imported, produced locally, or modified in its label, ingredients or composition must be registered in the electronic ZAD system before it is handled in UAE markets (Ministerial Decree No. 239 of 2018).
  • No food may be imported into the UAE for the first time without the approval of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.
  • The official pages read for this guide set no separate federal registration route for infant formula; the general food rules above apply.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the ZAD registration, first-import approval and label version together for each product, dated. Ask about this

Labelling and storage

The mandatory standards, and what the label says about storage.

  • UAE.S 9:2019 on labelling prepackaged foodstuffs, UAE.S GSO 2233:2019 on nutritional labelling and UAE.S 2333:2019 on health and nutrition claims are mandatory under Cabinet Resolution No. 4 of 2020.
  • In Dubai, prepacked food carries the required information in Arabic, with production and expiry dates that may not be altered.
  • Where the date mark depends on storage, the storage conditions are stated on the label; the Food Code gives infant formula stored below 25°C as an example of following the label.
  • Where food is cooked or prepared before use, instructions are given where it could not be used properly without them.

How we help: Compliant Always reads your formula and baby food labels against the mandatory standards, including storage and preparation statements. Ask about this

Halal

When animal-derived ingredients need a halal certificate.

  • In Dubai, foods containing meat or poultry products or ingredients of animal origin, such as gelatin, need halal certificates; seafood is excepted.
  • Under Cabinet Decree No. 10 of 2014, halal certificates come from halal certification bodies registered by MoIAT.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps each ingredient's halal certificate with the product, with the issuing body and expiry date. Ask about this

Feeding bottles, teats, soothers and utensils

MoIAT's scheme for child care articles.

  • Cabinet Resolution No. 34 of 2019 covers non-food products intended to help children sleep, relax, keep clean or feed, as listed in its annexes, placed on the UAE market or made for export.
  • Its annexes list standards for feeding bottle teats (UAE.S/GSO 2079), soothers (UAE.S/GSO 2015, 2016, 2073 and 2074), drinking equipment (UAE.S/GSO 2163, 2164, 2167 and 2168), disposable nappies (UAE.S GSO 1833) and cutlery and feeding utensils (EN 14372).
  • The supplier obtains a conformity certificate before placing the product on the market, through ECAS, under Model B.
  • MoIAT asks for a test report from an accredited laboratory, under three years old, and the product label.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the test report and ECAS certificate for each feeding article, and shows when a report passes three years. Ask about this

Traceability and recall

Tracing lots and acting on unsafe food.

  • Food manufacturers trace product lots through raw materials, packaging, processing and distribution.
  • Manufacturers, importers and distributors withdraw or recall unsafe or adulterated food, and recall food when the authority orders it.
  • The National Rapid Alert System for Food manages serious food risks and classes incidents as high, medium or low.

How we help: Compliant Always ties each certificate and test report to its lot, so a recall question is answered from the record. Ask about this

Who answers for what

WhoWhat they answer forHow we help
ImporterFirst-import approval, ZAD registration and the documents each consignment needs.Consignment documents read and dated before shipment.
ManufacturerComposition, the standards the product is made to, and lot traceability.Specifications and test reports kept with each lot.
Brand ownerThe Arabic label, storage and preparation instructions, and claims.Label versions read against the mandatory standards.
Supplier of feeding articlesThe ECAS certificate and test report for bottles, teats and soothers.Certificates collected once and shown to each retailer that asks.

Emirates

Federal law and MoIAT's technical regulations apply across the seven emirates. The Product Safety Law applies to products placed on the market in the UAE, free zones included.

Food safety is enforced locally: the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority in Abu Dhabi, and the municipal authorities in Dubai and Sharjah (u.ae).

Dubai Municipality also requires regulated consumer products, such as cosmetics, detergents, health supplements and toys, to be registered in its Montaji system before they are placed on the Dubai market.

Questions businesses ask

Do I need to register infant formula in the UAE?
Infant formula is food, and food that is imported or produced locally must be registered in the ZAD system before it is handled in UAE markets, under Ministerial Decree No. 239 of 2018.
Do I need approval to import baby food into the UAE?
No food may be imported into the UAE for the first time without the approval of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, under Federal Law No. 10 of 2015.
Which labelling standards apply to baby food in the UAE?
UAE.S 9:2019 on labelling prepackaged foodstuffs, UAE.S GSO 2233:2019 on nutrition labelling and UAE.S 2333:2019 on claims, all mandatory under Cabinet Resolution No. 4 of 2020.
Does infant formula need an Arabic label?
Yes. In Dubai, prepacked food carries the required label information in Arabic, and the federal prepackages regulation requires the quantity label in Arabic.
How should infant formula be stored in the UAE?
As its label specifies. Dubai's Food Code gives infant formula stored below 25°C as an example of following the manufacturer's storage requirements.
Do baby feeding bottles and teats need certification in the UAE?
Yes. Cabinet Resolution No. 34 of 2019 covers feeding bottle teats, soothers and drinking equipment, and the supplier obtains an ECAS conformity certificate under Model B before sale.
Does baby food need a halal certificate?
In Dubai, food containing meat, poultry or ingredients of animal origin such as gelatin needs a halal certificate; seafood is excepted.
Is there a separate UAE registration route for infant formula?
The official pages read for this guide set no separate federal route for infant formula; the general food rules, including ZAD registration and the mandatory labelling standards, apply.
What happens if baby food is found to be unsafe?
Manufacturers, importers and distributors withdraw or recall it, and recall food when the authority orders it, under Dubai's Food Code. The national rapid alert system manages serious food risks.
How does Compliant Always help with selling in the UAE?
Our team reads the rules for the markets you sell in, including the federal schemes and the emirate-level registrations. Compliant Always shows which apply to your product, keeps the documents behind each one ready, and watches the sources for changes. It shows what the requirements say and what your documents show; you decide.

Sources

Compliant Always is a product of Lettuce Labs LLC. It shows what requirements say and what your documents show. It is not legal advice, and you decide.

Tell us what you make, and we will show you the rules for it.

Name the product and the markets you sell in. We will come back to you with what applies in the UAE and what your paperwork needs to show.

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