Overview – KP FOOD SAFETY & HALAL FOOD AUTHORITY

The KP Food Safety & Halal Food Authority (FS&HFA) has been established under the “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety & Halal Food Authority Act 2014” to ensure safe and healthy food for human consumption across the province. Every Food business shall be registered by The Authority and same shall be put on systematic check in-order to ensure the food business will in accordance with the law’s rules and the regulation. KP FS&HF has established food testing laboratories to ensure the scientific and research based provision of safe food to the people of the province. to achieve the set target, all food handlers are being trained by The Authority.

Food is the very basic need of human beings for their survival it is a source of energy for our daily chores, professional work, livelihood, health, body growth and decay all depend on the quality of food we consume daily. In developing countries such as Pakistan the provision of safe and healthy food has always remained a major challenge due to food safety and adulteration issues. Unhealthy and unhygienic intake of food is hazardous to the human body, which creates a burden on the already stretched healthcare system. Life expectancy is also low in the country due to unsafe and adulterated food items in the market. to cope with adulteration, mal-nutrition and other food related issues being faced by the public, The Authority is determined and focus to monitor and regulate every food business to counter food threats.

“Safe Food Healthy People “

The Food Safety and Halal Food Authority shall regulate and monitor the food business in order to ensure provision of safe food.
Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-section (1), the Food Safety and Halal Food Authority may:-
- Formulate or adopt standards, procedures, processes and guidelines in relation to any aspect of food including food business, food labeling, food additive, and specify appropriate enforcement systems.
- Specify procedures and guidelines for setting up and accreditation of food laboratories.
- Formulate method of sampling, analysis of samples and reporting of results.
- Specify licensing, prohibition orders, recall procedures, improvement notices and prosecution.
- Determine terms and conditions of service of its employees.
- Provide scientific advice and technical support to the Government in matters relating to food.
- Collect and analyze relevant scientific and technical data relating to food.
- Establish a database and information system of network of food operators and consumers to facilitate food safety and quality control.
- Organize training programmes in food safety and standards.
- Promote general awareness about food safety and standards.
- Levy fee for registration, licensing and other services.
- Certify food for import and export
- establish safe limits (maximum permissible limits– MRLs) for processing residues in the foods.
- implement rules and regulations relating to:
  (i) genetically modified foods;
  (ii) irradiated foods;
  (iii) fortified foods;
  (iv) organic foods;
  (v) foods for special dietary needs;
  (vi) functional foods;
  (vii) nutraceuticals;
  (viii) health supplements;
  (ix) proprietary and noval foods;
  (x) beverages;
  (xi) Ordinary foods;
- Regulate matters relating to “Halal Food” etc
- Prepare periodic technical reports/gazette on situation of food safety in the province, and
- Perform any other function, if any, assigned to it by Government to carry out the objects of this Act.