Representational image
Doha, Qatar: The Food Safety Rating Programme for Food Establishments run by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) is playing a growing role in enhancing competitiveness among food establishments by encouraging higher standards of compliance with health and safety regulations.
The programme not only strengthens food safety practices across cafés, restaurants, and hotels, but also provides consumers with transparent information about establishments’ compliance levels, motivating businesses to improve their performance and maintain customer trust.
Speaking to Qatar TV recently, Iman Mohammed Al Nuaimi, Health Inspection Supervisor at the Food Safety Department of the Ministry of Public Health, said the programme is based on a risk-based inspection mechanism designed to assess how well food establishments comply with approved food safety requirements.
She explained that the programme provides consumers with clear and accessible information regarding the compliance status of food establishments operating in the State of Qatar, including restaurants, cafés, and hotels.
According to Al Nuaimi, the initiative aims to create healthy competition among establishments by encouraging them to achieve higher ratings and improve their food safety practices.
“The programme works to increase competitiveness among various food establishments and raise awareness of food safety among food handlers and operators,” she said, adding that it also contributes to achieving strong levels of compliance with food safety regulations across local establishments.
She said that the programme enables consumers to make informed decisions when selecting dining venues by reviewing the classification or evaluation of food establishments through the Ministry’s official website. Al Nuaimi noted that consumers can search for an establishment by name and directly access its rating certificate online. She also encouraged food establishments to display their classification certificates prominently within their premises so customers can easily view their ratings and gain confidence in the establishment’s commitment to food safety standards.
The Ministry of Public Health had earlier launched the third phase of the Food Safety Rating Programme for Food Establishments as part of broader national efforts to strengthen public health protection and enhance food safety standards throughout the country.
Under the third phase, all food establishments that provide food services directly to consumers in Qatar are included in the programme. Earlier phases focused primarily on hotels, tourism-sector restaurants, and restaurants located within shopping malls.
Food establishments participating in the programme are classified into six grading levels based on inspection outcomes. These range from “Urgent Improvement Necessary” and “Major Improvement Necessary” to “Good,” “Very Good,” and “Excellent.”
The classification results are published through the “Watheq” online platform, allowing consumers to easily access information about establishments and compare their compliance levels before visiting them. The ratings are based on routine inspections conducted by the Food Safety Department.
The Food Safety Rating Programme was developed following the adoption of an internationally recognised risk-based inspection system in cooperation with international consultants.
The Ministry’s Food Safety Department also carried out a comparative study of leading global experiences in food safety rating systems, alongside a two-year field study aimed at tailoring the programme to Qatar’s regulatory and food safety environment.
