The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has begun implementing the requirements of the international quality system ISO 17020 in the field of inspection of imported foods by training inspectors working in the various state outlets to apply the new standards.
The training carried out by the technical team at the Food Safety Department includes all areas of inspection, including document checking, visual inspection, and sampling according to standard work methods consistent with international best practices.
The training comes within the framework of preparing to obtain international accreditation in this regard, which means that the standards and methods of inspection of imported food are consistent with international standards to increase the credibility and transparency of these procedures similar to the procedures applied in developed countries.
Manager, Food Safety Department at MoPH Wasan Abdulla al-Baker said that the project to obtain international accreditation in the inspection of imported food according to the ISO 17020 system comes within a package of projects that the ministry is working on, including international accreditation in local control, online system for food control, and many other projects that mainly aim to improve the food safety system in Qatar by following the global approach in food control to reach the highest possible level of food safety across the entire food chain.
She added that the training stage is the final stage before applying for international accreditation, as this stage was preceded by great efforts over several months in preparing standard working documents such as a quality handbook, standard work methods, and other requirements that were accomplished by the specialised team despite the challenge in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The training carried out by the technical team at the Food Safety Department includes all areas of inspection, including document checking, visual inspection, and sampling according to standard work methods consistent with international best practices.
The training comes within the framework of preparing to obtain international accreditation in this regard, which means that the standards and methods of inspection of imported food are consistent with international standards to increase the credibility and transparency of these procedures similar to the procedures applied in developed countries.
Manager, Food Safety Department at MoPH Wasan Abdulla al-Baker said that the project to obtain international accreditation in the inspection of imported food according to the ISO 17020 system comes within a package of projects that the ministry is working on, including international accreditation in local control, online system for food control, and many other projects that mainly aim to improve the food safety system in Qatar by following the global approach in food control to reach the highest possible level of food safety across the entire food chain.
She added that the training stage is the final stage before applying for international accreditation, as this stage was preceded by great efforts over several months in preparing standard working documents such as a quality handbook, standard work methods, and other requirements that were accomplished by the specialised team despite the challenge in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.
