Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, in cooperation with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), has launched an updated Table of Food Law Violations with the aim of enhancing food safety and raising the level of regulatory compliance among food establishments. This is part of an integrated effort to protect public health and develop the food control system.

The updated classifications of violations within the Food Law focus on criteria that take into account the size of the establishment and the type of economic activity. This contributes to achieving fairness in the application of penalties and encourages small and medium enterprises to comply without any discrimination.

The updated law includes a mechanism for gradual implementation of the procedures. The principle of warning is applied to minor violations, with a corrective grace period, while penalties will be imposed directly for serious violations that affect consumer safety and public health.

The violations include new components in the food supply chain, including delivery personnel, food tracking, handling food poisoning cases, food record keeping, and the importance of documentation and transparency in protecting both consumers and establishments.

To enhance consumer awareness, strict requirements have been imposed on menus regarding salt, caffeine, and physical activity content, supporting a healthy lifestyle and empowering individuals to make informed food choices.

The ministry and SFDA emphasized that the updated violation classifications represent an integrated oversight system aimed at instilling the concept of prevention before punishment. They emphasized that food safety is an obligation that cannot be tolerated, and that penalties are a systematic means of protecting society from complacency regarding public health violations.

They also emphasized the need for food establishments to comply with food safety standards to enhance compliance with safety regulations and approved legislation.

The updated Table of Food Law Violations can be viewed by visiting the ministry's website at: https://momah.gov.sa/ar/node/15198.