SCH Initiates New Risk Assessment Approach for Food Safety in Qatar

Doha, May 23 (QNA) - The Supreme Council of Health has begun the process of strengthening its capacity to manage food safety risks in accordance with international best practice, according to Wassan Al-Baker, Head of the Food Safety and Environmental Health Division (FSEH) of the Supreme Council of Health. Addressing a Seminar on "Food Risk Analysis- Policies and Practice", organized by the FSEH, Al-Baker revealed that the SCH is also working as a task force member of the Qatar National Food Security Program to review food safety policies and legislation and to design a well-integrated food safety Master plan for the development of a world-class food safety system for Qatar. Government officials, university academia and other related personnel from various food control systems in the State of Qatar took part in the seminar. The two-day seminar was led by world renowned expert on food safety, Dr. Steve Hathaway, who has been pivotal in the development of international food safety standards. He is currently the Director of Science and Risk Assessment at New Zealand Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI). Topics covered included international and national drivers for change for the development of effective risk based food control systems, risk assessment concepts, the development of a risk management framework, methodologies and tools for undertaking risk assessments and case studies. After Dr. Steve s two week mission with SCH studying food safety, environmental health and port health situations in Qatar, he has commented that "Risk analysis is a holistic approach to food safety through the food control system. It has to change the current culture and move into using science to change the world. There should be a strong commitment at policy and management level to support the cause." Dr. Steve goes on to say that "Risk analysis approach works best in a farm-to-fork food control system. The different entities should be incorporated into a single agency to prevent duplication and create better efficacy of the tasks. There should be a high level of coordination and sharing of information, resources between the different entities in the food control system." He stressed the importance to have a national risk assessment team to identify, differentiate and understand the risks of different types that can occur in the national food control system as Qatar imports 90% of food and has less knowledge about the health status of food. "There is clearly a lack of information on national nutrition and chemical hazards in the overall food supply in Qatar and this should be addressed by carrying out baseline work to determine specific risks associated with nutrient imbalances or chemical hazards", said Dr. Hathaway. (QNA)