Tribune News Network
Doha
The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has developed a comprehensive five-year action plan to monitor and surveil contaminants across all food categories. This initiative aligns with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Strategy for Food Safety 2022–2030, aiming to reduce the burden of foodborne illnesses.
The plan was implemented at the start of 2024. The Food Safety Department’s monitoring team analysed data from over 30,000 samples collected by regulatory authorities during 2023–2024, along with 400,000 test results. This analysis aims to prioritise monitoring and surveillance programmes for potential food contaminants in Qatar.
The plan includes preparing and publishing a report on pesticide residues in imported and locally grown vegetables and fruits. This was achieved through collaboration between the inspection and food safety laboratory sections of the Food Safety Department. The findings were presented to the food risk management team at the MoPH, which issued recommendations for preventive measures to ensure the highest safety standards for vegetables and fruits in Qatar. Other monitoring programmes focus on assessing salt levels in bread and microbial contaminants in fish sold in central markets.
In line with the principle that “food safety is a shared responsibility” and to strengthen cooperation with strategic partners, the Food Safety Department at the MoPH, in collaboration with the Ministry of Municipality (Albaladiya), has developed a monitoring plan for veterinary drug residues in livestock slaughtered in Qatar. The plan includes a survey launched on December 1, initially targeting commercial abattoirs, including Al Wakra Central Slaughterhouse and the abattoirs in Umm Salal and Al Khor, over a three-month period. The second phase, focusing on veterinary drug residues in livestock at private abattoirs, will follow for another three months.
Food risk monitoring and surveillance activities adhere to the highest global standards, employing a risk analysis approach. This ensures that risk management and decision-making are based on scientific evidence obtained through continuous monitoring and analysis.
Monitoring and surveillance systems act as the first line of defence against food-related risks, providing an effective tool for early detection. This facilitates swift responses and efficient management of food incidents, helping to reduce exposure to foodborne pathogens.
Food risk monitoring and surveillance activities also include periodic updates to precautionary measures for foodborne zoonotic diseases such as avian influenza, foot-and-mouth disease, and bovine spongiform encephalopathy. A joint team from the Food Safety Department at the Ministry of Public Health and the Animal Wealth Department at the Ministry of Municipality manages these updates based on the epidemiological situation and guidance from the World Organisation for Animal Health.
