Ministry of Food and Ministry of Social Affairs conduct joint food inspection tours at cooperatives
The Ministry of Social Affairs, represented by its Cooperation Sector, in collaboration with the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition, has launched surprise inspection tours of cooperative societies to ensure compliance with the regulations and systems governing operations, as well as the safety of procedures for receiving, storing, and handling defective and returned goods.
Acting Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Dr. Sayed Issa, confirmed that the inspection tour was conducted at one cooperative society selected randomly, noting that future tours will cover additional societies to verify their adherence to the laws and regulations enforced by the Ministry and the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition.
Issa explained that the tour included an examination of the mechanisms for receiving, delivering, and storing food products, alongside verifying procedures for handling defective and returned items. It also involved inspecting various food products within the society, including cheeses, olives, oils, biscuits, cocoa, pasta, and others, to ensure their safety and proper storage.
He noted that the tour did not reveal any violations; rather, some observations were recorded and communicated to the society’s management, which were addressed immediately. He emphasized that the objective of these tours is to ensure food safety and verify that cooperatives comply with the prescribed procedures and requirements.
He clarified that, based on reports and complaints received by the Ministry, audit committees are formed to examine the operations of cooperatives. In cases where serious financial or administrative violations are proven, legal measures will be taken to dismiss or dissolve the boards of directors, with the Ministry appointing new boards to rectify the cooperatives’ operations.
He stated that many cooperatives have begun correcting their operational mechanisms and are functioning properly, affirming that the current phase represents an “era of firmness, accountability, strictness, and law enforcement,” stressing that “no one is above the law.”
He confirmed the Ministry’s openness to developments concerning central markets, the operational methods of hypermarkets, and investments therein, pointing to the issuance of new Bylaw No. 196 of 2026, which will come into effect shortly after the completion of the electronic platform, ahead of the scheduled deadline.
For his part, Dr. Saud Al-Jalal, Director General of Inspection and Supervision Affairs at the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition, stated that the tour aimed to enhance joint cooperation between the two parties and verify the safety of food products displayed and stored in cooperative societies.
He explained that the tour included inspecting the warehouses of one cooperative, examining the methods used for storing and preserving food products, as well as visiting the defective goods area to ensure it was isolated from food preparation areas, thereby safeguarding the safety of products and consumers.
He indicated that inspection tours of cooperative societies would continue across all governorates, with coordination for further visits in the near future, emphasizing that the Authority’s inspectors work around the clock in various governorates to ensure consumer safety.
