The National Food Safety Authority’s media center issued its 37th weekly report for the year 2024, for the period from September 28 – October 4, which included many different activities as follows:
Activities of the Authority’s various departments:
The General Administration for Factory Control carried out 32 oversight missions in cooperation with the Industrial Development Authority. The number of examination, inspection and accreditation visits carried out by the Department for Control of Packing Stations and Centers reached 26 visits, and the Department issued 343 export permits for agricultural crops to 304 exporting companies.
The Authority also participated in the discussion session on food safety requirements in export markets, entitled (Meeting International Standards and Requirements), during the activities of the Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Festival in its third edition, from September 30 to October 1, 2024.
The number of food consignments exported, according to the report of the Authority’s General Administration Information Center for both Exports and Imports, reached 3,770 consignments, about 200,000 tons, an increase of 12,000 tons over the previous week, to 1,415 exporting companies, varying between 623 types of flour, vegetables, and various food products.
Sweet potatoes topped the list of Egyptian exported vegetables with 15,000 tons, followed by all kinds of beans with a total of 10,000 tons, then onions with a total of 5,000 tons. The total number of exported vegetables reached 54 types, with a total of about 36,000 tons.
Mango topped the list of exported fruits last week as well, with a total of 12,000 tons, followed by pomegranates, with a total of 9,000 tons, then strawberries, with a total of 4,000 tons. The total number of types of exported fruits reached 40 types, with about 32,000 tons, and Sudan, Somalia, Vietnam, and Saudi Arabia represented the largest countries. Receiving Egyptian exports during the past week from a total of 169 importing countries.
Safaga Port ranked first in the number of food consignments exported from it with a total of 610 consignments, followed by Alexandria Port with 574 consignments, then Cairo Airport Port with a total of 370 consignments.
The number of food consignments received reached 2,170 consignments, amounting to about 615 thousand tons, to 842 importing companies, which varied between 150 varieties of wheat, soybeans and raw sugar from 80 countries. Russia represented the largest country exporting to Egypt, followed by Ukraine, Brazil and Uruguay.
Alexandria Port came in first place in the number of food consignments received with a total of 666 consignments, followed by Port Said Port, which ranked second with 410 consignments, then Cairo Airport Port with a total of 333 consignments.
The General Administration for Special Food Registration and Licensing registered 51 products and 8 companies and carried out 6 monitoring visits. The administration also examined 545 new products and issued 15 free sale certificates.
The Strategic Goods Administration carried out 39 inspection visits to wheat storage sites, and 1 visit to rice mills in various governorates of the Republic.
The total number of complaints received to the Authority reached 89 complaints from the various complaints receiving agencies (the electronic portal for the unified government complaints system – the Council of Ministers), the Consumer Protection Agency, in addition to complaints submitted directly to the Authority. 48 complaints were closed and 41 complaints are being examined.
Complaints Department inspectors carried out campaigns on 670 food establishments to ensure the safety of food products offered in the governorates of Ismailia, Sharkia, Assiut, New Valley, Gharbia, Dakahlia, Menoufia, Aswan, Matrouh, North Sinai, Red Sea, Kafr El-Sheikh, Beheira, Sohag, and 10th of October. Ramadan, taking all necessary corrective measures in the event of any observations related to food safety requirements.
Regarding the activities of the Commercial Chain Control Department, 48 oversight missions were carried out on branches of commercial chain establishments to ensure that these establishments meet food safety requirements in a number of governorates of the Republic.
521 public store establishments with food activity were registered, and the Public Store Registration and Licensing Department conducted 531 inspections of public stores, while 342 establishments met the requirements of the National Food Safety Authority during the past week.
The Storage Facilities Control Department carried out 17 oversight missions over food stores in the governorates of Cairo, Alexandria, Sharkia, Ismailia, Beheira and Giza. With regard to school feeding stores, 1 school feeding store (already existing) was inspected in Sharkia Governorate.
With regard to the management of dairy suppliers, 16 oversight missions were carried out over dairy farms and milk collection centers in the governorates of Dakahlia, Menoufia, Beheira, Gharbia, Ismailia, Fayoum and Qalyubia.
With regard to the management of licensing and oversight of tourist establishments, 64 visits were made, including periodic oversight and inspection of licenses in the governorates of Cairo, Giza, Alexandria, the Red Sea, Aswan, Luxor, Damietta and Ismailia.
The Mobile Food Units Department carried out 32 inspection missions on food units in the governorates of Cairo, Gharbia, Red Sea, Giza and Dakahlia.
The Authority’s Grievances Committee examined 586 grievance requests received from various ports.
The General Administration of Slaughterhouses conducted 21 inspection visits to poultry and meat slaughterhouses and intestine factories, in addition to 58 follow-up visits to the manufacture of natural animal packaging in intestine factories. The administration issued 19 export permits for natural animal packaging to European Union countries after collecting samples and ensuring their compliance with requirements.
The slaughterhouse administration launched a campaign against some manual slaughterhouses in some neighborhoods of Giza and Qalyubia governorates in order to familiarize those in charge of them with food safety requirements.
The Department of Control of Food Contact Materials Factories carried out 10 monitoring missions in the governorates of Qalyubia, Dakahlia, Menoufia, Sharqia, and Giza, and 2 facilities were registered during the past week.
The General Administration for Fish and Aquatic Products Control carried out 8 monitoring visits to fishing boats/vessels, fish factories and suppliers, export companies, and processing units in various governorates of the Republic.
The Authority’s inspection campaigns on markets in various governorates:
As part of the efforts of the Authority’s branches to tighten and tighten control over food establishments, in implementation of the directives of Dr. Tariq Al-Hobi, Chairman of the National Food Safety Authority, to ensure the safety of the food products offered and to preserve the health of consumers in various governorates.
The Food Safety Branch in Gharbia Governorate implemented 20 extensive inspection campaigns on 210 food establishments to ensure the implementation of food safety requirements in the various cities and centers of the governorate (Tanta, Zefta, Qutour, Basyoun, Al-Santa, Kafr Al-Zayat, Al-Mahalla, Samanoud). These campaigns resulted in the arrest of… 1 ton and 800 kg of halva that did not meet specifications, 400 kg of expired meat, 200 kg of cheese and pickles that had mold and were not fit for human consumption.
Within the framework of the awareness and educational role of the National Food Safety Authority to raise the level of public awareness towards improving food safety measures and promoting sound healthy food practices, a number of food establishments were visited and guidance was given to the necessity of adhering to food safety requirements in those establishments, and applying corrective measures.
We also participated in major campaigns with the governorate, the Supply Directorate, the Supply Investigation Department, the Veterinary Medicine Directorate, and the Health Directorate. These campaigns resulted in the issuance of 60 reports, which varied between reports of lack of health requirements, seizure and withdrawal of samples of a quantity of foodstuffs suspected of being fit for human consumption, estimated at an amount of 3 tons (poultry, fish, cheese), and all seized items were seized to take legal action.
Food was also inspected and examined in rehabilitation and reform centers in the governorate, and the Food Safety Branch in Damietta Governorate carried out 6 joint inspection campaigns with (the deputy head of the local unit of the center and city, the Directorate of Supply, Veterinary Medicine, Health, and the governorate) on 39 food facilities within the scope of the center and city of Kafr Saad, These campaigns resulted in the destruction of a variety of foodstuffs that had expired and had changed natural properties. The destruction process took place in the presence of representatives of the Food Safety Authority and members of the formed committee.
A sample of fresh milk and dough was also withdrawn from a bakery to be analyzed and to ensure its suitability for human consumption by the Food Controller of Health Affairs in the presence of a member of the Food Safety Authority. 80 kg (hawashi dough, liver, minced meat) were seized due to a change in the natural properties with knowledge. Veterinary medicine and in the presence of a member of the Food Safety Authority.
The Food Safety Branch in Fayoum Governorate visited 35 food establishments, and those in charge of them were made aware of the role and competencies of the Authority and directed them to register with the Authority and meet the food safety requirements. Based on this guidance, a hotel facility in the Tunis Tourist Village and a station and center for packing medicinal and aromatic plants registered with the Authority and began fulfilling the necessary requirements. The campaigns also resulted in the issuance of 7 reports of managing an establishment without a license, and 2 reports of poor health requirements.
The Food Safety Branch in Dakahlia Governorate carried out 23 inspection campaigns, some of which were joint with other regulatory authorities (City Council Presidency, Health Directorate, Veterinary Medicine, Supply, Supply Investigations, Consumer Protection Agency), where 109 food facilities were visited in centers and some villages within the governorate ( Mit Ghamr, Minyat al-Nasr, Belqas, Nabrouh, Beni Ubaid, and Mansoura). These campaigns resulted in the destruction of 538 kilograms of spoiled food and other items that appeared to have changed properties, and the issuance of 27 reports.
The Food Safety Branch in Beheira Governorate implemented 16 inspection campaigns on 114 food establishments in the governorate’s centers (Damanhour, Abu Homs, Kafr El Dawar, Abu Al Matamir, Hosh Issa, Itay Al Baroud… and other centers). These campaigns resulted in monitoring a quantity of containers of materials. Food of various types, expired and with changing natural properties, and the necessary measures were taken regarding these foodstuffs by Food Safety Authority inspectors.
A number of 17 government and private hospitals within the governorate were also visited, in coordination with the Health Directorate, to ensure the quality of meals provided to patients inside those hospitals.
The 10th of Ramadan Branch carried out 4 inspection campaigns on 63 food establishments in the 10th of Ramadan City, the city of Belbeis and Abu Hammad in Sharkia Governorate. These campaigns resulted in a deficiency in food safety requirements in those establishments, and they were alerted and given a period to rectify their conditions and avoid violations.
The branch of the Food Safety Authority in Sohag Governorate carried out 3 joint inspection campaigns with the General Administration of Supply, Veterinary Medicine, the Governorate and the Sharq District, where a number of restaurants and food establishments were visited. These campaigns resulted in the seizure of 200 kg of meat slaughtered outside the slaughterhouse with forged seals. 230 kg of meat, frozen food, and foodstuffs unfit for human consumption were destroyed, and 4 warnings and 15 reports were issued.
The branch also carried out 3 inspection campaigns on 8 food establishments within the cities and centers of the governorate, and food establishments that were not registered with the Authority were alerted to the need to register, complete licensing procedures, and apply special requirements for food safety.
The Food Safety Branch in Sharkia Governorate carried out 36 inspection campaigns, passing through 149 establishments within the centers of (Zagazig, Deir Najm, Belbeis, Abu Hammad, Abu Kabir, Hahia, Kafr Saqr and other centers), which resulted in the destruction of a quantity of expired food products. It is not suitable for human consumption (biscuits, dairy, chocolate, ketchup, cheese and other foodstuffs).
24 food establishments that had previously been given a period to implement food safety requirements were re-visited, and the compliance of those establishments with the requirements that must be met by the food establishment was confirmed and verified.
In implementation of the directives of Dr. Tariq Al-Houbi, Chairman of the National Food Safety Authority, the branch conducted a fact-finding investigation regarding a suspected food poisoning incident for 9 cases in one of the villages affiliated with the city center of Minya Al-Qamh in Sharkia Governorate. The branch went to the health unit and hospital to reserve the cases and the homes of the suspected cases, which It was found to have been caused by eating a serving of home-made cottage cheese and was not manufactured or handled by any food facility.
The branch of the Food Safety Authority in Aswan Governorate conducted 5 extensive campaigns in coordination with the Supply Investigation Department, where 13 food establishments were visited in various cities and centers of the governorate. These campaigns resulted in issuing a death report for food products that had expired and were unfit for human consumption. The owners of food establishments were also made aware of improving Measures related to food safety, taking pledges to implement the necessary requirements and registering with the National Food Safety Authority.
The Food Safety Branch in Qalyubia Governorate carried out 16 inspection campaigns on 160 food establishments within the centers of (Banha, Toukh, Shebin Al-Qanater, Qalyoub, and Qaha). The campaigns resulted in the destruction of a quantity of expired food products that showed signs of corruption, and this quantity was destroyed according to the rules. established.
The Food Safety Branch in the New Valley Governorate conducted 5 joint inspection campaigns with the (Directorate of Health and Veterinary Medicine, the Directorate of Supply, and the City Council) within the scope of the Kharga Center, where 26 food establishments were visited, resulting in the issuance of 11 reports that varied between (reports of health certificates, reports of non-compliance). Announcing prices, minutes of executing spoiled goods of unknown origin) with the knowledge of other regulatory authorities in the presence of a member of the National Food and Safety Authority and members of the formed committee.
لمطالعة المزيد: موقع السفير وللتواصل تابعنا علي فيسبوك الدبلوماسي اليوم و يوتيوب الدبلوماسي اليوم.