The Food Safety Act has been ratified.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu ratified the Food Safety Act on Thursday.

The People’s Majlis passed the food security bill, which shed light on important issues linked to food security, during the 26th sitting of the first session of this year on May 13.

Shedding light on a comprehensive framework for the regulation of food safety, the Food Safety Act of Maldives ensures that all food products, whether locally produced, imported, or exported, do not contain harmful substances and comply with established standards.

The act emphasizes the procedures and standards for food safety, which must be adhered to by all stakeholders in the food industry.

In addition to this, it suggests the necessary procedures and standards to ensure food items are safe for human consumption.

Further, the main purpose of the act is to establish standards for various aspects of food production and preparation to ensure the safety of food items.

This includes packaging, labelling, preservation, storage, trade, supply, and distribution. However, it is not limited to these aspects.

The act sheds light on the standards and licensing requirements for establishments involved in these processes and also specifies the hygiene standards that individuals engaged in these operations must comply with, in a bid to ensure the safety of food items.

Upon ratification, the Food Safety Act has been publicized in the government gazette.

It will come into effect within three months of publication. 19 rules are to be framed and publicized in the government gazette within these three months.

The long-drawn-out bill was proposed to parliament by MP for Manadhoo constituency Ahmed Haroon, during the previous administration of former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. It was submitted to the parliament floor back in August 2021. The first reading of the bill was held during a sitting held on 25 August 2021.

The bill, which was pending for years, was passed unanimously with the votes of 47 parliamentarians in attendance.

Food is produces in different parts of the country, with councils empowered to make people aware of food security and it has been made mandatory for councils to take all necessary measures to ensure food safety and security.

According to the bill, a National Health Laboratory will be established to oversee efforts to test food imported or exported to the Maldives and manufactured in the country, and to monitor and conduct health checks and tests on the health safety of food manufacturing establishments, or closed places, or warehouses, sale establishments and food supply establishments.

Further, the bill also states that if a laboratory in the country is unable to conduct the required tests, it should pave the path to conduct the tests abroad.

MPs noted that the bill was important for the current situation and that once the bill become law and is implemented, it will solve the sale of existing “fake” products in the market.

Parliamentarians also noted that it would enable local businesses to ensure their products are of good quality.