Restaurants and food service outlets in Saudi to establish a tracking system for ingredients of food or food product

Restaurants and food service establishments will be required by the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing to set up a tracking system for food components and packaging used in dishwashing or food product preparation. 

This instruction was published by the government in a freshly created guide designed to guarantee food safety. The operator of a food establishment needs to be able to use this system to track the quantity and determine the source of an ingredient, allowing for product recalls or supporting regulatory compliance investigations.

The advice stressed that the invoice or receipt voucher should be used to enter the supplier's name into the tracking system when the goods arrive at the food facility. 

In the event of a product recall, the ministry advised the operator of the food establishment to at least be aware of the parties that come before and after them in the supply chain and be able to get in touch with them if needed. They also advised the operator to keep a list of contact information for suppliers and corporate customers in case an emergency arose.