Food safety authority steps up efforts ahead of Ramadan 

By Ibrahim Mohamed

The Information Centre of the National Food Safety Authority issued its tenth weekly report in 2024 for the period from March 2 to 8.

The General Administration of Factories Control carried out 85 supervisory missions on food factories in all governorates during the first week of March.

Eleven food facilities were registered with the National Food Safety Authority.

Examination, inspection, and accreditation visits by the Department of Control of Packing Stations and Centres reached 73; three establishments were registered and 3,465 export permits were issued for agricultural produce.

Potatoes topped vegetable exports by 50,000 tons, followed by frozen vegetables, 15,000 tons, sweet potatoes, 5000 tons, citrus fruits, 80,000 tons and strawberries 15,000.

Saudi Arabia, Libya, Spain and Russia represented the largest recipients of Egyptian exports over the past week out of a total of 164 importing countries.

The General Administration for Registration and Licensing of Private Food registered 83 products and one factory, carried out 3 supervisory visits, examined 740 new products, and issued 7 free sale certificates.

The complaints management team launched campaigns on the 840 food facility to ensure the safety of the food products offered in a number of governorates.

Control of Commercial Chains has conducted 25 commissariats to ensure that their branches meet the requirements of food safety.

The number of establishments registered has reached 6, bringing the number of chains registered to date to 1647 for 47 commercial chains.

The General Department of Slaughterhouses conducted 6 inspection visits to poultry and meat slaughterhouses, in addition to issuing 15 permissions to natural envelope factories.

Also, NFSA has participated in an inspection with a delegation from the Ministry of Local Development and the General Authority of Veterinary Services to checkManqabad slaughterhouse in Assiut governorate.

The food safety branch in various governorates launched extensive inspection campaigns to ensure the implementation of food safety requirements.

This came as part of the efforts of the directives of Dr Tareq EL-HOUBY, Chairman of the National Food Safety Authority (NFSA), to tighten the control over food establishments to ensure the safety of the food products offered and to safeguard public health.