Parents in Abu Dhabi will need to rethink lunchboxes from the 2025/26 academic year after the Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) introduced strict new food rules for schools.

Under the new policy, a wide range of foods and drinks are banned on school grounds, including items brought from home.

What foods are banned

The ADEK “red list” includes:

• Deep-fried foods such as falafel, samosas, fried chicken and fries
• Sweets including cakes, doughnuts, candy and chocolate with less than 50% cocoa
• Ice cream and high-sugar desserts
• Soft drinks — including diet and zero-calorie sodas
• Energy drinks, sports drinks, iced coffees and sweetened teas
• Processed meats such as hot dogs, mortadella, salami, pepperoni, and smoked turkey
• High-calorie sauces like ketchup, mayonnaise and ranch
• Pickled vegetables
• Foods containing artificial dyes, MSG, high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners
• All nuts, sesame seeds and soy products due to allergy concerns

Even zero-sugar sodas have been prohibited due to concerns over sweeteners and a lack of nutritional value.

Why these foods are banned

ADEK says the changes aim to improve students’ health, concentration and overall well-being. Schools were warned that certain foods can contribute to:

• Hyperactivity
• Poor concentration
• Sleep disruption
• Weight management issues
• Long-term health risks linked to high sodium and saturated fats

What foods are allowed

Some favourites can stay, with healthier tweaks.

• Oven-baked or air-fried versions of falafel and similar dishes are permitted
• Water, sparkling water and unsweetened fruit-infused water are encouraged
• Unflavoured milk and unsweetened yoghurt are allowed
• Lean grilled meats and fish are preferred over processed meats
• Fresh vegetables instead of pickled options
• Low-sugar, portion-controlled whole-grain baked goods

When do the new rules start

Schools have been instructed to comply starting from the Autumn term of the 2025/26 academic year.

The authority emphasised that schools play a key role in promoting healthy eating habits, and parents will now be expected to align with the new guidelines when preparing packed lunches.

The UAE has withdrawn a batch of Aptamil Advance 1 POF infant formula, expanding a global baby formula recall over concerns the product may be contaminated with cereulide, a toxin produced by Bacillus cereus bacteria.

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) and the Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE) confirmed that products with an expiry date of November 8, 2026, have been recalled after traces of the toxin were detected.

Products Removed From Stores

Authorities said the affected infant formula has been transferred to distributors’ warehouses, in coordination with Nutricia Middle East (Danone). Efforts are ongoing to remove all remaining products from supermarkets, pharmacies, and online retail platforms across the UAE.

Advice for Parents

Consumers are urged to:

• Check the expiry date on Aptamil Advance 1 POF products
• Dispose of the formula immediately if it matches the recalled batch

The recall follows Danone’s wider withdrawal of certain infant formula and follow-on milk products in the UK and European Union, where the company warned the affected products could potentially cause nausea and vomiting.

Growing Global Focus on Infant Food Safety

The UAE has previously recalled several Nestle infant products over similar concerns involving toxin-forming bacteria. The latest precautionary recalls have impacted some of the world’s largest dairy groups, including Nestle, Danone, and Lactalis, highlighting increased global scrutiny around baby food safety and quality controls.

Authorities said they continue to closely monitor the situation and have reassured parents that consumer safety and infant health remain top priorities.

Paying high prices for essential medicines could soon become a thing of the past. The UAE is reviewing how drug prices are set, with lawmakers and health officials pushing for tighter controls, more transparency, and stronger support for locally made medicines — all with patients in mind.

During a recent Federal National Council (FNC) session focused on pharmaceutical security, officials acknowledged what many residents already feel: Medicine prices in the UAE remain higher than in many regional and global markets.

A multi-ministry committee is now studying the pricing system, how the market is regulated, and where gaps still exist.

The Emirates Drug Establishment confirmed it is reassessing pricing rules and rolling out new initiatives to boost local production of essential medicines, particularly those used to treat chronic conditions. The goal? Better availability, more stable pricing, and less reliance on imports.

Lawmakers also highlighted a noticeable gap between government procurement prices and what patients pay at private pharmacies, despite a federal system designed to buy medicines directly from manufacturers.

FNC member Naama Al Sharhan said revisiting medicine pricing, even if limited to essential drugs, would have a direct and positive impact on patients, especially those managing long-term illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure. She described the health minister’s response as flexible and encouraging, stressing that proper follow-up would be key to turning recommendations into real change.

She also pointed to weak monitoring as a major reason prices still vary between pharmacies, despite existing regulations. “Prices are said to be unified, but in reality, they’re not,” she noted.

Transparency and local manufacturing emerged as major themes during the session. Al Sharhan said expanding domestic pharmaceutical production would strengthen national drug security and help shift public perception about locally made medicines. 

“Medicines produced in the UAE meet global standards and are competitive in quality,” she said.

Echoing those concerns, FNC member Mohammed Al Kashf called for price differences between the UAE and other markets to be “almost non-existent,” warning against excessive pricing and market dominance by major companies. While official price lists already exist, he noted that some medicines still see inflated prices during periods of high demand, something he said stronger regulation must address.

Both lawmakers agreed that expanding local manufacturing should be a top priority, alongside securing raw materials and encouraging global drugmakers to produce in the UAE. If successful, officials say patients, especially those dependent on long-term medication, will feel the difference at pharmacy counters.