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Doha, Qatar: The recently implemented ‘Food Safety Rating Programme for Food Establishments in Qatar’ is yielding significant results, sparking a positive competitive environment among restaurants.
Authorities report that this drive for excellence is prompting establishments to actively uphold stringent new food safety standards, ultimately leading to enhanced food safety practices across the board.
Speaking to Qatar TV recently, Head of the Environmental Health Section in the Food Safety Department at the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) Mubarak Al-Nuaimi said that since its initial rollout, the programme has already sparked a positive competitive environment among restaurants.
He said that food establishments are now actively striving to adhere to the stringent standards set forth by the programme, ultimately leading to improved food safety practices across the board.
“Food Safety Department had successfully launched a new, comprehensive system for rating food establishments across the country. This innovative programme aims to enhance food safety standards and empower consumers with transparent information, fostering healthy competition among businesses,” said Al-Nuaimi.
He added: “The system’s implementation is unfolding in three strategic phases. The initial phase, which focused on food establishments and restaurants within tourist areas and hotels, has already been successfully completed.”
Al-Nuaimi further said, “Currently, the department is in the second phase, which targets restaurants and food establishments located within commercial complexes."
“This phase is projected to be finalised by the end of the second quarter of the current year.”
Looking ahead, he said, the third and final phase will include all other food establishments that provide direct food services to consumers in Qatar, with full implementation expected by the beginning of the third quarter.
“This new food establishment rating programme assigns a compliance rating to each establishment. This rating is then made publicly accessible to consumers, allowing them to view it readily. This transparency is designed to assist consumers in selecting the safest and highest-rated establishments, thereby promoting informed dining choices,” said Al-Nuaimi.
Director of the Food Safety Department at MoPH Wasan Abdulla Al Baker said that the Department has undergone significant transformations since its inception as a small office in 1969.
She added: “The year 2009 marked a major turning point. With a limited but dedicated team, the department embarked on laying the scientific groundwork for a highly effective food safety system. The ambition was clear: to create a system that would be a regional and national leader in food safety.”
“Furthermore, the department has significantly enhanced its monitoring and surveillance capabilities. This includes meticulously tracking and observing food products in the markets, establishing detailed schedules for monitoring and tracing specific contaminants – be it a particular bacterium or a chemical substance found in food,” said Al Baker.
She said that this targeted approach ensures that specific inspection schedules are put in place to prevent these contaminants from reaching consumers. To recall, in the month of February this year, the MoPH officially launched the Food Safety Rating Programme for Food Establishments in Qatar. The initiative aims to enhance compliance with food safety requirements across various food establishments in the country.
