Doha, Qatar: The Food Safety Department at the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) intensified its food safety monitoring activities during the second quarter of 2026, inspecting more imported food shipments and conducting thousands of inspection visits to local food establishments, according to key figures and achievements released by the Ministry yesterday.
The department conducted 136,280 tests at its Food Safety Laboratories during the second quarter, while 29,147 imported food shipments were inspected to verify compliance with Qatar’s food safety standards, regulations and technical requirements.
It also collected 6,163 samples from imported foodstuffs at the country’s ports and 7,807 samples from local food establishments as part of its monitoring and verification procedures.
At the local level, the department carried out 5,748 inspection visits to food establishments to ensure compliance with food safety standards and regulations.
The figures also highlight the continued expansion of digital food safety services. The department provided 1,603 e-services through the Watheq system, while 10,746 foodstuffs were approved through the system during the quarter.
The second-quarter figures come as the Ministry continues efforts to strengthen Qatar’s national food safety system and foster a culture of food safety among food establishments, workers and the wider community. Its programmes focus on the fundamentals of food safety and hygiene and emphasise compliance with established standards and regulations.
The second-quarter figures show an increase in the monitoring of imported food shipments compared with the first three months of the year. In the first quarter, the department inspected 27,036 imported food shipments, compared with 29,147 in Q2 — an increase of 2,111 shipments, or about 7.8 percent.
The number of samples collected from imported foodstuffs also rose from 5,600 in Q1 to 6,163 in Q2, an increase of 563 samples, or about 10 percent. Inspection activity at local food establishments also increased. The department carried out 5,748 inspection visits in Q2, compared with 5,652 visits in Q1.
However, laboratory testing declined from 151,350 tests in Q1 to 136,280 in Q2, a decrease of 15,070 tests, or about 10 percent. Similarly, samples collected from local food establishments fell from 9,189 in Q1 to 7,807 in Q2, a reduction of 1,382 samples, or around 15 percent.
Digital activity through the Watheq system also changed during the quarter. The department provided 1,603 e-services in Q2, compared with 1,888 in Q1, while 10,746 foodstuffs were approved in Q2, against 13,609 in Q1.
The first-quarter figures, published by the Ministry in May, also included the issuance of 516 food handler permits, the registration of 687 food establishments in the Watheq system, and responses to 183 public complaints and inquiries.
Taken together, the quarterly figures reflect the department’s broad approach to food safety, covering imported food controls at the country’s ports, laboratory testing, surveillance of local establishments and digital approvals and services.
