Dr. Hisham bin Saad Aljadhey, the CEO of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), conducted an inspection tour of Makkah to ensure that restaurants and other facilities are ready to serve pilgrims.
The objectives of the inspection visit were to review and check compliance with technical requirements, ensure high-quality supplies, examine food safety operating systems, and verify the availability of safe and healthful goods.
The SFDA has visited over 3,700 institutions to ensure quality and safety throughout the Hajj season. These inspections included training staff in catering kitchens, improving the safety of primary products, and reviewing medical offices.
Makkah, June 13, 2024. Dr. Hisham bin Saad Aljadhey, the Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), conducted an inspection trip. The trip's purpose was to verify that various food companies and facilities in the Makkah region were ready to serve pilgrims this academic year. The purpose of Aljadhey's inspection tour was to review and verify that these facilities comply with all of the technical requirements and specifications, to ensure that the necessary supplies are available and of high quality, to examine the operation mechanisms of these facilities to ensure that food products are safe for pilgrims, and to verify that these products are available in a manner that is both safe and healthy.
Together with the relevant authorities, the Saudi Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) is responsible for monitoring and inspecting the items that fall under its purview, as well as the food businesses located in Makkah and Madinah. By providing the staff of catering kitchens with wide instructions and directives, it also helps to enhance the level of expertise among the personnel.
Since the beginning of its work plan for the field survey for this year's Hajj season, the Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) has carried out over 3,700 visits to facilities that fall under its jurisdiction. These visits include 478 visits to educate catering kitchen workers on all health requirements to ensure food safety, 306 field visits to improve the safety of primary products and foodstuffs, and 154 visits to medical headquarters. This effort, within the context of the SFDA's role during the 1445 H Hajj season in ensuring the safety and quality of food, medicines, and medical devices, is part of the initiative that the government of the Kingdom has taken to make use of all the resources that are available in order to provide the best services possible to visitors to the Holy House of God.
