The UAE now has its first honey-testing lab using artificial intelligence to check the quality of honey and learn more about bee health.
Health tech company M42, along with Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council, started the lab at the Central Testing Laboratory in Masdar City.
The lab does many tests to check honey quality and find out if it’s mixed with anything that lowers its value.
Credit: TheNationalnews
“Honey is very important in the UAE, like dates,” said Abdulla Al Muaini, executive director at the Quality and Conformity Council. “This lab will help local producers and make Abu Dhabi honey more known worldwide.”
M42 said the lab uses the latest tech, like advanced data collection, machine learning, and AI to check honey quality and see if it has been mixed with anything.
Tests include checking if the honey is real, its sugar content, moisture levels, and acidity to keep high standards for consumers and the industry. Albarah Elkhani, senior VP of operations at M42, said AI helps the lab work better and faster.
“AI helps us automate tasks and combine our data and tech, making our work smoother,” he said.
Mr. Elkhani also said that studying honey in detail can help us learn more about bee health and biodiversity.
“If we find pesticides or antibiotics in honey, it tells us about bee health and biodiversity,” he said.
There is growing concern about the decline of honeybee populations worldwide. Bees are crucial for pollinating fruits, vegetables, and nuts, which is important for food security.
The decline of bee populations is linked to factors like pesticides, habitat loss, air pollution, and global warming.
The partnership between M42 and ADQCC, formed at Cop28 in Dubai, aims to support local honey producers, meet local and international standards, and build trust among consumers and stakeholders.
Source: thenationalnews
