TEHRAN – A food safety document will be approved and implemented in the future in the country, Vahid Mofid, an official with the Food and Drug Administration has stated.

The document is under review and must be approved by the health commission of the Majlis (Iranian Parliament), which is hoped to soon go into effect, he said, IRNA reported on Friday.

The document is consisting of standards through which food safety is best ensured; the whole food production process from cultivation to markets will be under control, it also identifies and controls hazards in the production, manufacturing and handling of food rather than relying on end product standards alone, he explained.

The standards enable the country to oblige food businesses to meet the document principles, they will be subject to periodic observations by a suitably qualified food safety auditor, he added.

He went on to note that the amount of toxins consumed, the types of fertilizers used and the ways food is distributed, the quality of water and the irrigation methods are defined in the food safety document, as these factors affect the quality of the food products.

Food policy is cross sectoral, so the document emphasizes on a focused integrated policy, according to which related devices are obliged to well cooperate for the best food quality, he concluded.

Food safety is important as it helps to protect consumer from the risk of food borne illnesses. It also helps to prevent consumers from risks of health –related conditions such as allergy and even death.

It also protects food processing establishments from product recalls which results in financial losses due to unsafe products. Other issues due to unsafe products which can impact a business include: rejected products, possible lawsuits and business closure by the public health authorities due to reports of unsafe product sold to the general public.

FB/MQ/MG