The Ministry of Public Health marks World Food Safety Day, which falls on June 7th, under the theme “Safe food today for a healthy tomorrow”, as part of the permanent theme of the event “Food Safety is Everyone’s Responsibility.”
On this occasion, the Ministry organizes a number of activities and events, including virtual workshops on food safety: three workshops targeting family-run businesses over three days and a workshop titled “Common Food Safety Mistakes” for food importing companies.
Activities also feature awareness messages on social media and text messages via mobile phones, short videos on food safety, as well as awareness leaflets containing food safety guidelines distributed at supermarkets and malls. The Ministry of Public Health building is lit in orange to mark World Food Safety Day.
Wassan Abdulla Al-Baker, Director of Food Safety and Environmental Health at the Ministry of Public Health said that the World Food Safety Day is an important occasion to promote food safety and warn of unsafe food risks on health.
“The Ministry of Public Health is keen to ensure the safety of food sold at outlets in Qatar, food compliance to health standards and intensifying food safety awareness campaigns which focus on the right and safe ways related to food safety, such as shopping, food preparation, transport, display, sale, storage, general hygiene and health practices,” added Wassan Al-Baker.
She also stated that samples of food products produced locally are tested to prevent any microbial and chemical risks. Food samples are tested using state-of-art devices to ensure conformity with the highest standards of Codex Alimentarius Commission, Word Health organization and GCC Standardization Organization. Al Baker pointed out that food testing is done at the MOPH central laboratories, which are accredited internationally and ranked among the top 15 laboratories in the world. The labs adopt approved and reliable analysis methods based on the ISO 17025:2017 quality management guidelines.
An online system has been developed for issuing health and food certificates and paying the fees associated with exported food certificates, food destruction certificates and food tests requested by importing and exporting companies.
Marking World Food Safety Day aims at raising awareness of food safety, preventing diseases through food safety, discussing collaborative approaches to enhance food safety across different sectors, and promoting solutions and ways to achieve further progress in food safety.
Source: Ministry of Public Health