May 19 - Starting May 25, 2009, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), established in March 2003, will be responsible for inspecting imported high value food products at the Kingdom's 27 ports of entry.
The Authority will take charge of setting food standards and ensuring the safety of food products. In the past, standards were set by the Saudi Arabian Standards Organization (SASO) while imported foodstuffs were tested by the Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) at ports of entry.
The SFDA will take over inspection of imported animal feed, fruits, vegetables and drugs in the next few months. The authority has hired a German company to help implement its three-year $200 million dollar capacity building program, which involves upgrading food inspection laboratories, training staff, and developing advanced food inspection techniques. The SFDA, chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, has a Board of Directors consisting of eight ministers: Municipality & Rural Affairs, Defense, Interior, Health, Commerce and Industry, Agriculture, Water & Electricity, Finance, Economic & Planning plus the SFDA Executive Director General, and representation from other organizations such as the Saudi Arabian Standards Organization (SASO), the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and Saudi food and drugs experts.
Regulatory Role of the SFDA The SFDA will regulate, oversee, and control food, drugs, and medical devices, as well as setting mandatory standards for both imported and locally manufactured products. Testing activities for these products will be conducted in SFDA or other government-operated laboratories. In addition, the SFDA will be responsible for educating consumers on all matters related to food, drugs and medical devices.