2005
Food safety in Palestine is currently a shared responsibility between the ministries: Health (MOH), Agriculture (MOA), National Economy (MONE) and Ministry of Local Authorities. MOH is responsible for issuing import and export approvals, investigates outbreaks and has a High Committee for Food Safety, from members of the different ministries involved.
Inspectors' qualifications are veterinary doctor, agriculture engineer, and public health sanitarian. Their main activities are inspection at food establishments, control of food handlers and collection of samples from different areas to submit to public health laboratories for analysis according to the standard and different regulations. Inspectors belonging to MONE conduct inspections on the market (prevention of adulteration and fraud) and take samples from imported food on the border. Inspectors belonging to MOA oversee primary production (animal health, fruit and vegetables). MOH laboratories, agriculture laboratories and branch of food laboratories conduct chemical and microbiological analysis.
There is no food law in Palestine ; Egyptian and Jordanian Public Health Laws and other orders have been used in addition to the Palestinian Food Standards. Where food standards are absent, Egyptian, Jordanian and Codex Alimentarius texts are used.
Consumer Protection Associations are widely spread across the West Bank provinces, while only one is active is the Gaza Strip. This in addition to the Consumer Protection Directorate in the Ministry of National Economy and the Food Industry Board. These associations work in close collaboration with the Food Control Directorate in the Ministry of Health and the Consumer Protection Directorate in the Ministry of National Economy, as well as the Standards Organization, in order to inform the official authorities about any smuggling in the Palestinian markets or inedible products.
These associations are currently trying to unite all Palestinian associations. The official public authorities encourage these associations to focus on the grassroots level only, with no interference or participation from the public authorities in their management so as to complement or compete with their work. Furthermore, these associations undertake cultural activities for housewives and restaurant workers, in addition to unofficial market control. Finally, they publish bulletins and cultural newsletters related to food safety.
Information last updated - January 2007