Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has launched the Food Establishments Guide for Food Recall Requirements, a comprehensive national reference aimed at standardising and enhancing procedures for recalling unsafe or non-compliant food products from the local market, thereby protecting consumer health and reducing food-related risks.
The launch of the guide comes as part of the Ministry’s efforts to enhance the food safety system in the State of Qatar, in line with internationally recognised best practices and standards in the field of food safety.
The guide clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders across the food chain, including importers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers. It also establishes effective mechanisms for traceability, product recovery, communication and food incident management, contributing to faster response and more efficient management of potential food safety risks.
The guide further emphasises the importance of food establishments implementing effective recall and recovery plans, applying robust traceability systems, and conducting regular reviews and testing exercises to verify the readiness and effectiveness of these plans, in line with international best practices in food safety.
The launch of the guide was announced during the World Food Safety Day 2026 event, today organised by the Ministry of Public Health at the Itqan Clinical Simulation and Innovation Centre at Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City (HBKMC) under the theme “From Burden to Solutions: Safe Food Everywhere”. The event brought together representatives of relevant entities from both the public and private sectors.
Wessan Abdullah Al Baker, Director of the Food Safety Department at the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), said that organising the event reflects the Ministry’s commitment to promoting a culture of prevention, strengthening food safety awareness and supporting partnerships with relevant stakeholders. These efforts contribute to building a more efficient and sustainable food system and achieving the highest levels of protection for the health of the community.
The event featured a number of awareness and discussion sessions addressing key challenges associated with foodborne diseases and ways to prevent them, in addition to showcasing the latest practices and experiences in food control and food safety.
A practical case study from the private sector on the recall of a food product was also presented during the event, with the aim of promoting knowledge exchange and raising awareness of the preventive and corrective measures followed in this field.
During the event, the Food Safety Department at the Ministry of Public Health honoured outstanding food establishments under the Food Establishments Classification Programme, as well as establishments that achieved notable improvements in their classification ratings and compliance with health requirements, in recognition of their efforts in supporting food quality and safety standards.
