Food safety and quality
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Focal Point Information

E-mail:
Country:
Saudi Arabia
Organization/agency name (Full name):
Saudi Food & Drug Authority (SFDA)
Contact person name:
Rania Bogis
Website:
Physical full address:
Hittin District, 13513 - 7148 Riyadh
Phone number:
00966550555219
Fax number:
Country introduction
Summary:

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Arabian Peninsula, with the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba to the west and the Arab Gulf to the east. Neighbouring countries are Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the Sultanate of Oman, Yemen, and Bahrain, connected to the Saudi mainland by a causeway. Saudi Arabia’s population is 32 million (2017) and its capital city is Riyadh. Saudi Arabia's economy is petroleum-based; 90% of export earnings come from the oil industry; the Kingdom is the world’s largest producer and exporter of oil. 

Saudi Arabia has extensive diplomatic and commercial relations with other countries. It plays a significant role in OPEC and the UN, and is one of the founding members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Saudi Arabia has the largest economy in the GCC and one of G20 members.

Framework
Regulatory framework:
My country has a regulatory framework that requires the competent authority to conduct safety assessment of GM food.
Structure for GM food safety assessment:
My country has competent authority, agency, organization, ministry, department, committee, commission or a system/mechanism that is tasked to conduct or review GM food safety assessment.
Supplemental information:

Saudi Arabia has developed the following technical regulations and standards for genetically modified foods, to ensure the safety of these products for the consumer health:  

SFDA.FD/GSO 2141: General Requirements for Genetically Modified Unprocessed Agricultural Products

SFDA.FD/GSO 2142: General Requirements for Genetically Modified Processed Food and Feed

SFDA.FD/GSO 2143: General requirements for risk assessment and traceability for genetically modified products

SFDA.FD/GSO 2371: General requirements for risk assessment and traceability for genetically modified products

SFDA.FD/ GSO CAC/GL 44: Compilation of Codex texts relevant to the labelling of foods derived from modern biotechnology

SFDA.FD/GSO CAC/GL 45: Guideline for the conduct of food safety assessment of foods derived from recombinant-dna plants

SFDA.FD/GSO CAC/GL 46: Guideline for the conduct of food safety assessment of foods produced using recombinant-DNA microorganisms

SFDA.FD/GSO 2502: Compilation of Codex texts relevant to the labelling of foods derived from modern biotechnology

SFDA.FD/GSO ISO 21569: Foodstuffs — Methods of analysis for the detection of genetically modified organisms and derived products — Nucleic acid extraction

SFDA.FD/GSO ISO/TS 21569-2: Horizontal methods for molecular biomarker analysis -- Methods of analysis for the detection of genetically modified organisms and derived products -- Part 2: Construct-specific real-time PCR method for detection of event FP967 in linseed and linseed prod

SFDA.FD/GSO ISO 21569-3: Horizontal methods for molecular biomarker analysis -- Methods of analysis for the detection of genetically modified organisms and derived products -- Part 3: Construct-specific real-time PCR method for detection of P35S-pat-sequence for screening genetic

GSO ISO/TS 21569-4: Horizontal methods for molecular biomarker analysis — Methods of analysis for the detection of genetically modified organisms and derived products — Part 4: Real-time PCR based screening methods for the detection of the P-nos and P-nos-nptII DNA sequences

GSO ISO/TS 21569-5: Horizontal methods for molecular biomarker analysis — Methods of analysis for the detection of genetically modified organisms and derived products — Part 5: Real-time PCR based screening method for the detection of the FMV promoter (P-FMV) DNA sequence

GSO ISO/TS 21569-6: Horizontal methods for molecular biomarker analysis — Methods of analysis for the detection of genetically modified organisms and derived products — Part 6: Real-time PCR based screening methods for the detection of cry1Ab/Ac and Pubi-cry DNA sequences

SFDA.FD/GSO ISO 21570: Foodstuffs — Methods of analysis for the detection of genetically modified organisms and derived products — Quantitative nucleic acid based methods

SFDA.FD/GSO ISO 21571: Foodstuffs — Methods of analysis for the detection of genetically modified organisms and derived products — Nucleic acid extraction

SFDA.FD/GSO ISO 21572: Foodstuffs — Molecular Biomarker Analysis — Immunochemical Methods For The Detection And Quantification Of Proteins

SFDA.FD/GSO ISO 24276: Food stuffs- Methods of analysis for the detection of genetically modified organisms and derived products- General requirements and definitions.

To obtain the technical regulations and standards, you can visit the SFDA’s standard web store https://mwasfah.sfda.gov.sa

Contact details of the competent authority(s) responsible for the safety assessment and the product applicant:

Saudi Food and Drug Authority

Assessment
GM food safety assessment guidelines:
My country follows the relevant Codex Guidelines or national/regional guidelines that are in line with the Codex Guidelines in conducting safety assessment of GM food.
Conduct of GM food safety assessment:
My country has never conducted food safety assessment of GM food but is planning to conduct such assessment in the near future.
Supplemental information on the implementation:
Stacked events
Regulation of stacked events:
My country is in the process of developing relevant regulations on stacked events.
Supplemental information on the stacked events:
Production and trade
GM food/feed production:
My country does not produce any GM food or feed.
GM food/feed imports:
My country allows imports GM food or feed upon authorization.
Supplemental information on the production and trade:

If imported food or feed contains more than one percent biotech content, each shipment must be accompanied by a health certificate issued by a competent government agency stating that the GE ingredient (s) used in the foodstuff is/are approved in the country of origin for human or animal consumption. However, our regulations do not allow imports of foodstuffs that contain GM animal products.

The following link provide all information about the requirements for importing and clearance of food products:

  1. https://www.sfda.gov.sa/sites/default/files/2022-03/SFDAFood4654E.pdf    
  2. https://www.sfda.gov.sa/sites/default/files/2021-11/SFADFgdfg_1.pdf
LLP/AP incidents
LLP/AP incidents:
My country does not monitor LLP/AP situations.
Supplemental information on the LLP/AP incidents:
Labelling requirement
Labelling requirement:
My country has a mandatory and positive labeling regulation on GM food (i.e., It contains GMO).
Supplemental information on the Labelling requirement:

Labelling requirements:

If the product consists of more than one ingredient with the GM higher than 1%, the words (genetically
modified) or (produced from genetically modified, name of the ingredient) shall appear clearly and easily to be read in the list of ingredients in parentheses immediately following the ingredient concerned with same font size and different color.

Technical regulations for labelling requirements are:

SFDA.FD GSO 9:2022 Labeling Of Prepackaged Food Stuffs

SFDA.FD/GSO 2142:2011 General Requirements for Genetically Modified Processed Food and Feed

 

Relevant links to documents and information prepared by the competent authority responsible for the safety assessment
Other relevant documents:
Country information last modified:
16/11/2023