Abu Dhabi: The Emirates Standardisation and Metrology Authority (Esma) on Saturday approved 41 new Gulf standard specifications, relating mostly to food items, a senior official told Gulf News.

The specifications now await adoption by the cabinet of ministers for full implementation.

"The new specs are mostly related to food stuff, of which eight are related to fresh fruits and vegetables, including the methods of transport, storage, and packaging, as well as palm dates paste, frozen potatoes, infants food, and Omani desert," said Walid Bin Falah Al Mansouri, Esma's director general.

"The new rules will be mandatory and applied to all six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council," he added.

Esma has so far introduced more than 700 specifications related to food items with the new set.

Amendment

The authority's board of directors approved as well the amendment of the National Accreditation System, by adding the mandate of accrediting new laboratories and inspection entities.

"We are also working on the establishment of the National Institute for Measurement and Calibration, in accordance with the cabinet's decree number 31 for 2006, which stipulates the establishment of such institute to maintain the national references for measurement," the director revealed.

Esma has already drafted a detailed report on the establishment of the institute, identifying the sectors benefiting from such move, including industry, agriculture, healthcare, aircraft maintenance, energy, armed forces, and many more.

"We are adopting the metric system, which identifies weight in kilograms, volume in litres, and measurement in metres," Al Mansouri said.