Abu Dhabi, October 23 2026 The Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council, in collaboration with M42 Group, is showcasing the capabilities of its Central Testing Laboratory in analysing the quality of honey as part of their participation in the fifth edition of the 2026 Al Dhafra Dates Festival and Auction, being held in Madinat Zayed in the Al Dhafra Region until October 25.
The participation includes conducting independent laboratory tests on honey samples entered in the festival's accompanying competitions, with the aim of assessing their quality and verifying their compliance with approved standards.
In 2025, the laboratory received approximately 299 honey samples and conducted 912 laboratory tests as part of its activities at official events. This year's participation also allows festival visitors to submit samples of their products for testing, with results to be issued within seven days. The service is available at Pavilion No. 3.
The festival's honey competitions include several categories, covering locally produced Sidr and Samar honey, as well as liquid honey, crystallised honey and honeycomb. Scientific testing of the competing samples contributes to assessing their quality based on laboratory results, complementing traditional production practices and supporting the quality of local products.
Eng. Abdullah Hassan Al Muaini, Executive Director of the Central Testing Laboratory at the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council, said that honey production is an integral part of the UAE's agricultural heritage and represents a sector with significant growth potential.
He noted that the collaboration with M42 Group contributes to developing the scientific infrastructure needed to support local producers and verify that their products comply with internationally recognised quality standards.
He added that independent laboratory testing ensures objective assessments of competition entries, while strengthening transparency, fairness and confidence among beekeepers, producers and consumers. This, in turn, contributes to developing the local honey industry and enhancing its competitiveness.
For his part, Ahmed Maadad Al Muhairi, General Manager of Environmental Sciences at M42 Group, said that the collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council harnesses environmental sciences and laboratory expertise to verify honey quality and provide analytical results that support producers and strengthen consumer confidence in their products.
He explained that this is achieved by combining scientific expertise with advanced technologies.
The participation builds on the launch of the Honey Quality Laboratory in 2024, established through a partnership between the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council and M42 Group to support the quality, safety and authenticity of honey products.
The laboratory benefits from the capabilities of M42's Environmental Sciences platform and employs advanced analytical technologies to assess key quality indicators, including sugar composition and types, moisture levels and acidity. It also detects potential contaminants and fraudulent practices.
These capabilities enable producers to verify the quality of their products and ensure compliance with approved standards, while supporting the wider presence of locally produced honey in domestic and international markets.
The partnership between the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council and M42 Group forms part of broader efforts to advance scientific testing and quality assurance across the food, agriculture and environmental sciences sectors. It also aims to harness laboratory capabilities to strengthen consumer confidence, support public health and contribute to the UAE's economic development.
In 2025, the laboratory received approximately 299 honey samples and conducted 912 laboratory tests as part of its activities at official events. This year's participation also allows festival visitors to submit samples of their products for testing, with results to be issued within seven days. The service is available at Pavilion No. 3.
The festival's honey competitions include several categories, covering locally produced Sidr and Samar honey, as well as liquid honey, crystallised honey and honeycomb. Scientific testing of the competing samples contributes to assessing their quality based on laboratory results, complementing traditional production practices and supporting the quality of local products.
Eng. Abdullah Hassan Al Muaini, Executive Director of the Central Testing Laboratory at the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council, said that honey production is an integral part of the UAE's agricultural heritage and represents a sector with significant growth potential.
He noted that the collaboration with M42 Group contributes to developing the scientific infrastructure needed to support local producers and verify that their products comply with internationally recognised quality standards.
He added that independent laboratory testing ensures objective assessments of competition entries, while strengthening transparency, fairness and confidence among beekeepers, producers and consumers. This, in turn, contributes to developing the local honey industry and enhancing its competitiveness.
For his part, Ahmed Maadad Al Muhairi, General Manager of Environmental Sciences at M42 Group, said that the collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council harnesses environmental sciences and laboratory expertise to verify honey quality and provide analytical results that support producers and strengthen consumer confidence in their products.
He explained that this is achieved by combining scientific expertise with advanced technologies.
The participation builds on the launch of the Honey Quality Laboratory in 2024, established through a partnership between the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council and M42 Group to support the quality, safety and authenticity of honey products.
The laboratory benefits from the capabilities of M42's Environmental Sciences platform and employs advanced analytical technologies to assess key quality indicators, including sugar composition and types, moisture levels and acidity. It also detects potential contaminants and fraudulent practices.
These capabilities enable producers to verify the quality of their products and ensure compliance with approved standards, while supporting the wider presence of locally produced honey in domestic and international markets.
The partnership between the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council and M42 Group forms part of broader efforts to advance scientific testing and quality assurance across the food, agriculture and environmental sciences sectors. It also aims to harness laboratory capabilities to strengthen consumer confidence, support public health and contribute to the UAE's economic development.
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