Saudi Arabia Joins FAO/WHO JECFA Expert Committee On Food Additives

The Saudi Food and Drug Authority has strengthened Saudi Arabia’s scientific presence by joining the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. The committee added Najla Al-Harbi, Head of the Chemical Risks Section in the Food Sector, to its Roster of Experts, confirming Saudi participation in key global food safety deliberations.

The appointment highlights confidence in Saudi scientific skills in risk assessment and reflects the Saudi Food and Drug Authority’s capacity to represent the Kingdom within forums that guide global food regulation. This move places Saudi Arabia within expert circles that influence standards affecting consumers and producers worldwide.

The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives evaluates the safety of food additives, contaminants, and residues from veterinary medicines. The committee develops health-based guidance values, including Acceptable Daily Intake and Tolerable Daily Intake, which support decisions on safe exposure levels for different population groups across many countries.

These technical guidelines form the scientific base for Codex Alimentarius Commission standards and other international food safety regulations. Many national authorities rely on this work when drafting rules on additives and contaminants. By joining JECFA, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority links national regulations more closely with widely recognised scientific benchmarks.

Through active representation on the committee, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority helps shape science-based international food standards. Participation enables early contribution to proposed limits, supports alignment of Saudi frameworks with reference practices, and reinforces trust in the authority’s efforts to regulate domestic and imported foods.

The authority stated that this development matches strategic aims to improve risk assessment methods, expand specialised national expertise, and use scientific evidence when making regulatory choices. Such goals support a more efficient food safety system, increase consumer confidence, and contribute directly to wider targets linked with Saudi Vision 2030.

With inputs from SPA