Saudi Gazette report
RIYADH — The Saudi Meals and Drug Authority (SFDA) has shut down a frozen ready-to-eat meals manufacturing facility and suspended manufacturing strains at a number of different services after uncovering critical well being violations that posed direct dangers to shopper security.
The enforcement actions adopted inspection campaigns carried out final month as a part of SFDA’s proactive monitoring program to make sure compliance with nationwide meals security requirements and forestall potential foodborne sicknesses.
In a single facility producing pickles and prepared meals, inspectors discovered poor hygiene, unsafe working practices, and ineffective security supervision — situations conducive to the expansion of dangerous pathogens akin to Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli, and Salmonella spp., all of which may trigger acute meals poisoning.
Though the ability was given a deadline to appropriate the violations beneath Article 12 of the Meals Legislation (Royal Decree No. M/38, dated 28/4/1440H), it did not comply throughout the required timeframe. This led to the total suspension of its manufacturing strains and the initiation of authorized proceedings.
In a separate case, violations have been detected at one other facility producing ready-to-eat poultry merchandise. These included using unlicensed staff, missing a legitimate HACCP meals security certification, storing expired meals with out clear separation, and utilizing corroded, unsafe food-contact tools.
The SFDA imposed fines beneath Article 20 of the Meals Legislation’s govt rules and partially suspended the ability’s operations till corrective measures are taken.
Moreover, the authority suspended 11 manufacturing strains throughout a number of dairy and frozen pastry vegetation after lab assessments confirmed contamination with Clostridium perfringens, a typical reason behind foodborne sickness.
All services have been instructed to implement corrective motion plans inside 30 days, together with upgrading high quality methods, retraining workers, and changing non-compliant tools. Observe-up inspections will guarantee compliance.
The SFDA emphasised that these actions replicate its dedication to preventive public well being safety and are supported by authorized provisions permitting stringent measures, together with suspension, imprisonment, or fines as much as SR10 million.
The authority urged shoppers to report any suspected meals violations by way of the unified hotline (19999), affirming that meals security is a shared accountability from manufacturing to the eating desk.