Nutritional labeling ‘mandatory’ for all food

TDT | Manama

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The Ministry of Health has confirmed that nutritional labeling is mandatory for all manufactured food products, both domestically produced and imported, in accordance with local and GCC regulations and technical specifications.

Responding to a question from Shura Council member Dr Bassam Ismail Al Binmohammed, the Ministry, through its Public Health Directorate, emphasised its commitment to enforcing these regulations.

The Ministry stated that it works closely with relevant authorities to ensure all food products clearly display nutritional information, including calorie counts and other key details.

Evaluation process

The Ministry detailed its product evaluation process, explaining that it relies on approved GCC technical specifications and regulations.

“Nutritionists assess products, reviewing laboratory analysis from accredited labs to verify the accuracy of the nutritional information provided on the label. This includes checking for the mandatory nutritional data in both Arabic and English,” the Ministry’s response stated.

“Furthermore, the Ministry’s Food Control Section inspectors verify food safety, checking ingredients, allergen information, storage requirements, and product expiry dates.”

Sale or import

Moreover, the Ministry stated that products lacking nutritional labels will not be permitted for sale or import.

“Continuous monitoring and regular market inspections ensure the safety of food products available to consumers and prevent the sale of non-compliant items,” it concluded.