2005
Food control activities in Qatar are performed by the Ministry of Health and by the Municipalities. Because of the small area of the country, the Municipalities inspect foods sold in the retail market and in restaurants and send samples to the central laboratories for analysis.
The Central Laboratory conducts organoleptic, chemical, microbiological and radiological analyses on all imported foods (arriving by air, land or sea) as well as on samples taken from domestically produced foods by the Municipalities and reports back to the Ministry of Health. Foods are either accepted or rejected after evaluation of analytical results against published national, international, regional and GCC (Cooperation Council of the Arab States of the Gulf) standards for sampling and testing. New national food standards are currently under preparation. Qatar cooperates with the GCC for sampling and testing of food products and cross-boundary transit of goods is based on a GCC approved / recognized shelf life / safety certificate.
Qatar is a member of the Gulf Standards and Metrology Organization and carefully follows any issue related to food and drugs. For example, in the case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), the Ministry of Health took the necessary actions to protect the health of consumers. Currently, the Ministry of Health is following up on issues related to Avian Influenza and is taking the necessary actions.
Given that Qatar , as all other Gulf States , uses Gulf standards, the Gulf Standards Organization involves in any approval process all stakeholders in the Gulf States among traders, industrialists, and consumers and seeks their views in this regard. Also, the State of Qatar is in the process of providing the Gulf Standards Organization with the citizens' views based on the received complaints concerning foodstuff in order for the Organization to take them into account.
There are specialized units within the Chambers of Commerce in the Ministry of Health responsible for dealing with the citizens' complaints and submitting them as necessary to the competent committees within the Ministry of Health and the Gulf Standards Organization for consideration. In addition, complaints in the press regarding any foodstuff or pharmaceuticals are duly taken into account when considering and setting standards.
Information last updated - January 2007