Khaberni - As part of the joint supervisory efforts, joint inspection teams between the Food and Drug Corporation, the Ministry of Health and the Directorate of Education conducted several supervisory rounds on school canteens during the first term of the academic year 2025/2026, aiming to ensure the provision of safe and proper food for the students and to confirm the adherence of school canteens to the highest standards of food safety and health supervision according to the approved legislation and instructions.
The Food and Drug Corporation urges giving utmost importance to the conditions of providing healthy food in schools and the safety of the food provided to our students, ensuring its confiscation and the method of its supply, preservation, and compliance with the announced health conditions, in addition to the need for issuing a health certificate for those dealing with food. The General Director of the Corporation, Professor Dr. Rana Obeidat, announced the launch of an intensive campaign to supervise school canteens, to ensure that the canteens comply with the stated conditions, noting that the rounds will include all public and private schools in the Kingdom.
The joint rounds in the first term resulted in detecting several violations, represented by non-compliance with proper storage conditions for food materials, and trading and selling food materials not allowed inside school canteens, where necessary legal measures were taken, and (7) school canteens were referred to the relevant judicial authorities to complete the legal procedures against them; as well as the destruction of foods not meeting health conditions.
The corporation's representative in the Canteens Committee, Dr. Rweida Abdullah, clarified that the foods and beverages banned from being sold and circulated in school canteens include the following:
First: Beverages
• Carbonated drinks.
• Energy drinks.
• Beverages containing caffeine.
• Hand-prepared juices.
• Fruit syrup and flavored drinks.
Second: Sweets
• Chewing gum, dragée, lollipop, toffee, nougat, marshmallow, and burnt sugar (caramel).
• Chocolate containing any of the substances mentioned above.
Third: Foods
• Spoiled or stale foods.
• Meats of all kinds.
• Eggs.
• Internal organs.
• Fried potatoes.
Fourth: Other products
• Ice cream and frozen treats, including ice cream and Eskimo.
• Beverages and canned foods in glass containers.
• Any food materials the minister decides to ban after the decision is published in the Official Gazette.
The corporation encourages communication with it in case of any observations, complaints or inquiries through the free complaints line (117114), via email ([email protected]), or through the WhatsApp application on the number (0795632000).
