Doha, August 24 (QNA) - The Food Safety Department of the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) has obtained international accreditation from the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) in the field of inspection of imported and local foods and local establishments in accordance with the "ISO 17020" system.

The international accreditation confirms the compliance of the standards and methods of inspection implemented by the Food Safety Department of the Ministry with international standards.

Director of Food Safety and Environmental Health at the Ministry of Public Health Wassan Abdulla Al Baker said that obtaining the accreditation from the ANAB contributes to enhancing the confidence and credibility of the inspection results at the global level, and is an official recognition of proving the integrity and technical competence of the inspection bodies.

It also gives customers and beneficiaries confidence in the efficiency and quality of services provided in accordance with ISO/IEC 17020.

She pointed out that this outstanding achievement at the regional level helps improve the performance of technical operations, speed up the procedures as well as control them.

She elaborated that the Food Safety Department, with its various divisions specialized in local and imported food control, was audited by the experts of the ANAB in May 2022, and passed the standards and requirements for obtaining accreditation without recording any noncompliance points.

The central food laboratories of the Food Safety Department have previously obtained the renewal of international recognition, after all analytical units in laboratories passed the annual international inspection in accordance with the requirements of the standard specification for analytical laboratories (ISO 17025:2005) and implemented by the ANAB.

The MOPH said that with the local and imported food control departments obtaining this accreditation, the food control system in all its divisions affiliated with the Food Safety Department will operate in accordance with the best relevant international standards.

This accreditation comes as part of a package of projects that aim to improve the food safety system in Qatar by following the global approach to food control, in order to reach the highest possible level of food safety across the entire food chain. (QNA)