The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has launched the third phase of its Food Safety Rating Programme for Food Establishments, a key initiative aimed at enhancing food safety compliance across Qatar.
This phase expands the programme to include all food establishments offering direct services to consumers, building on earlier phases that covered hotels, restaurants in the tourism sector, and those located in shopping malls.
The programme is designed to help consumers make informed choices by publicly disclosing how well establishments comply with health regulations, based on the results of routine and risk-based inspections.
To introduce the third phase, the MoPH recently hosted a webinar attended by over 600 representatives from various food establishments. The session covered the programme’s objectives, compliance standards, best practices for achieving high ratings, and included a Q&A with food safety experts. An interactive poll during the event showed strong engagement and enthusiasm for the programme’s goals.
Under the rating system, each registered establishment is inspected at least three times, with additional visits conducted as needed. Establishments are graded across six levels:
Urgent Improvement Necessary
Major Improvement Necessary
Improvement Necessary
Good
Very Good
Excellent
Results are published on the Watheq online platform, with the option for establishments to display their rating on-site.
The rating programme was developed by the MoPH’s Food Safety Department in collaboration with international experts and informed by global best practices. A two-year field study helped adapt the system to Qatar’s specific regulatory environment, with the ultimate goal of raising national food safety standards through transparency, education, and continued stakeholder cooperation.
Source: The Peninsula
