Dubai Municipality used Gulfood 2026 to unveil a suite of digital services aimed at speeding food trade while tightening safety checks. The show floor featured lab upgrades, remote inspection tools, and a single-window trade platform — changes that could cut delays for importers and exporters.
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Dubai Municipality Gulfood 2026 — new insect-residue lab and DCL capabilities announced
Dubai Central Laboratory (DCL) rolled out a specialised facility for detecting insect residues, backed by faster instruments and automated sample handling. Officials say the lab will shorten turnaround times and raise confidence in test results. The unit is in trials and is expected to start processing samples soon.
Smart inspections and remote monitoring to reduce delays
On the stand, inspectors demonstrated smart glasses that let experts guide checks remotely. The idea is simple: fewer unnecessary site visits, quicker decisions, and clearer records. If it works as presented, ports, warehouses, and retail inspections could become much more efficient.
Montaji+ platform and trade facilitation tools
Montaji+ now ties product registration, import, and export steps into one portal. With millions of items already listed, the platform aims to make compliance more transparent and shipments easier to track. That single-dossier approach should help reduce the back-and-forth that slows many consignments.
Consumer outreach and virtual support
Dubai Municipality also introduced Ghalia, a virtual assistant for food-safety queries and school nutrition guidance. Interactive exhibits — including a playful robot called Robot Rashid — helped explain the tech to visitors. The outreach is clearly designed to make technical change feel accessible.
The Bigger Picture
Taken together, these steps signal a push to make Dubai a nimbler hub for food trade. Faster lab results and remote inspections could trim waiting times, while a unified digital portal should lessen paperwork. For traders already juggling tight schedules, those gains would be welcome.
