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Experts from Nestlé Addressing Quality Measures & Regulatory Issues

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Experts from Nestlé Middle East to address regional regulatory authorities and food industry representatives on quality management and nutrition labeling

Dubai, UAE - 22 February 2010:- Quality control measures and regulatory issues will be under the spotlight as government and industry representatives from around the region gather in Dubai today for the 5th Dubai International Food Safety Conference, which is taking place from February 22nd to 24th at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center.

The conference, the leading event of its kind in the Middle East, will address several important topics pertaining to food safety such as quality assurance, regulatory compliance and food labeling, among others, with experts from Nestlé Middle East invited to address participants - who include delegates of regional regulatory and food control bodies as well as leading industry professionals - on the company's pioneering initiatives in the fields of quality management and nutrition labeling.

"This is a great opportunity for us to share our best practices and industry-leading quality standards," said Dr. Hassan Bayrakdar, Corporate Regulatory Affairs Manager, Nestlé Middle East. "Food safety is a key public health issue that calls for concerted action from all stakeholders, and Nestlé is pleased to share its international expertise in this field and extend its support to governmental efforts to safeguard public health interests."

Beat Stettler, Quality System Manager at Nestlé Middle East, will give a presentation at the conference on the topic 'Ensuring Reliability of Third Party Audits', offering a glimpse into Nestlé's stringent quality management system.

"Nestlé applies a comprehensive, process-based quality management system that embraces all aspects of quality, food safety, and regulatory compliance," Stettler said. "All manufacturing and business processes across our operations are subject to continuous internal and external audits, in order to ensure product quality and achieve the highest level of consumer trust. Also, in the spirit of continuous improvement, we invite teams of experienced auditors to review our processes and procedures and highlight further improvement potential based on the latest industry and business standards."

Also speaking at the event is Karine Antoniades Turk, Nutrition, Health & Wellness Manager at Nestlé Middle East, whose presentation on 'Nestlé Initiative for Nutrition Labeling' will focus on the "NUTRITIONAL COMPASS®", an innovative nutrition labeling panel launched by Nestlé to provide clear and transparent nutrition facts and information. The panel is implemented on all Nestlé products in more than 80 countries in the world.

"As a leading nutrition, health and wellness company, Nestlé's challenge is to always find opportunities that make a difference in the community in terms of promoting good nutrition and thus contributing to general public health," said Turk. "Clear, sound and practical information provided through food labeling is essential for consumers to make informed food choices. The NUTRITIONAL COMPASS® is our innovative solution to address that need, and Nestlé nutritionists help continuously evolve the panel content based on consumer reactions, to ensure pertinence."

The Dubai International Food Safety Conference is an annual program that addresses contemporary issues affecting the industry, such as regulatory changes, international policy implementation, food safety management systems, and other important topics.

"The conference provides a much-needed platform for government and industry to exchange ideas and develop practical action plans to improve food safety and quality," Dr. Bayrakdar said. "It also promotes cooperation amongst all key stakeholders, and helps reinforce the need for the industry to work in tandem with regulatory authorities to safeguard public health."

The Dubai International Food Safety Conference is organized by the Food Control Department of Dubai Municipality in partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Water, and is supported by the International Association for Food Protection, the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority and the regional office of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).