Established in early 1998, the branch meets a regional need to bring together scientists from countries in the area—Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen—to foster scientific exchange and agreement on issues of mutual interest. Topics being addressed include HACCP, antioxidants and health, food safety and harmonization, fats and oils, and the quality and safety of drinking water.