By Talal Al-Senafi
KUWAIT, Nov 30 (KUNA) -- The Public Authority for Food and Nutrition (PAFN) will usher in a new stage of work to guarantee the safety of food supplies on local markets as of December 1, with new bylaws full of powers and jurisdictions.
Over the past two years, the different ministries and state bodies have been transferring food safety jurisdictions and roles to the newly-minted entity.
The Kuwait Municipality gave up powers and roles of its supreme committee for food safety and its slaughterhouses oversight department to the PAFN in April 2017 and December 2016 respectively.
A month earlier, the Ministry of Health abandoned nutrition and awareness roles to the PAFN. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has also taken a similar move.
The new full of powers PAFN bylaws were ratified by the relevant ministry and would come to effect as of Friday.
The consolidated powers are expected to boost the PAFN efforts to guarantee the safety of food sold on local markets.
In 2013, the Kuwaiti National Assembly passed No. 112 to set up the PAFN to control the food producers, importers and sellers in the country. The authority was established two years later.
As per the law, the PAFN main tasks include: developing a national food and nutrition policy and setting criteria for food safety; promoting healthier nutrition and lifestyles; fighting malnutrition and reducing food-borne diseases.
The Authority is also in charge of inspecting food companies, markets, stores and supervising food-importing and food testing laboratories.
It is run by seven-member board which is the supreme responsible for the policies and the resolutions adopted to achieve the tasks of the authority.
The Law provides also for fines against violators of its provisions. (end) tms.ibi