Article 23 of the Saudi Food Law
المادة 23 من نظام الغذاء · الفصل السابع: الرقابة على الغذاء
Article 23 assigns oversight, inspection and the recording of violations to inspectors named by decision of the President, and gives them the powers of criminal investigation officers.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يتولى مفتشون - يصدر بتسميتهم قرار من الرئيس - أعمال الرقابة والتفتيش وضبط المخالفات، وتكون لهم صلاحيات وسلطات مأموري الضبط الجنائي.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 23 explained in plain English
After Article 22 made the Authority the body empowered to inspect, this article identifies who actually carries out inspection and what powers they have.
Elements of the rule:
- Tasks: oversight, inspection and the recording of violations.
- Who carries them out: inspectors named by decision of the President, who under Article 1 is the Chief Executive Officer of the Authority. Not every employee of the Authority is an inspector; only those named by decision.
- Status: these inspectors have the powers and authority of criminal investigation officers.
In Article 1 the Law defines an inspector as a person appropriately qualified for the nature of the task assigned to them within food oversight work.
Granting the status of criminal investigation officers means that what an inspector does in recording violations carries legal weight in later proceedings. This article does not detail the content of those powers, but Article 24 sets out some of what an inspector may do, such as entering food establishments and facilities on showing a work identity card, reviewing documents and records, and taking samples.
If a violation report is drawn up against an establishment, it is worth consulting a lawyer specializing in administrative or criminal cases to understand what follows from it.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 23 of the Saudi Food Law
Who appoints food law inspectors?
They are named by decision of the Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority.
What status does a food authority inspector have?
Inspectors have the powers and authority of criminal investigation officers.
More articles on Food Monitoring and Inspection
- Article 19
Article 19 allows the Authority to evaluate food before, during and after marketing when needed, and to take the measures set by the Regulations in light of the result.
للهيئة أن تقوِّم الغذاء قبل تسويقه وفي أثنائه وبعد التسويق إذا تطلب الأمر ذلك، ولها - في ضوء نتيجة التقويم - اتخاذ الإجراءات التي تحددها اللائحة.
- Article 21
Article 21 tasks the Authority with setting up and running a rapid alert system to report food-related dangers to human health and with raising consumer awareness, per procedures in the Regulations.
تنشئ الهيئة وتدير نظام إنذار سريع للتبليغ عن أي خطر مباشر أو غير مباشر على صحة الإنسان يكون مصدره الغذاء، وتوعية المستهلك بالوسائل التي تراها مناسبة، وذلك وفقاً
- Article 22
Article 22 makes the Authority the body legally empowered to inspect food establishments and facilities to apply the Food Law and its regulations, with security agencies' help when needed.
الهيئة هي الجهة المخولة نظاماً بتفتيش المنشآت والمرافق الغذائية فيما يخص تطبيق أحكام هذا النظام ولوائحه، ولها الاستعانة بالجهات الأمنية عند الحاجة.
- Article 24
Article 24 lets an inspector who shows a work ID enter food establishments, review records and take food samples, and requires the establishment to allow this and not obstruct.
للمفتش عند إبرازه بطاقة هويته الوظيفية دخول المنشآت والمرافق الغذائية لغرض التفتيش، وله الاطلاع على المستندات والسجلات والاحتفاظ بنسخة منها إذا لزم الأمر، كما ي
- Article 25
Article 25 lets an inspector seize food that violates the Law or its regulations and take necessary measures per the Regulations, and makes seizure mandatory if the food is unsafe.
إذا ظهر للمفتش وجود غذاء مخالف لأحكام هذا النظام أو لوائحه؛ فله حجزه واتخاذ التدابير اللازمة وفقاً للإجراءات التي تحددها اللائحة، على أن يكون الحجز وجوبيًّا إذا
- Article 26
Article 26 requires the inspector to keep information confidential except at the request of the Authority or the competent court, follow the Law's procedures, and draw up a violation report with a copy to the violator.
يلتزم المفتش بالآتي : 1 - عدم الكشف عن أي معلومة حصل عليها بسبب عمله، ما لم تطلب منه ذلك الهيئة أو المحكمة المختصة. 2 - التقيد بالأحكام والإجراءات المنصوص عليها
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.