المملكة: Most food companies do not respond to the requirements of the early warning system

The General Authority for Food Security revealed that the majority of companies operating in food sectors in the Kingdom have not yet responded to its request to electronic linking necessary to exchange the required data, in a basic step to establish a national system for early warning for food security, and this limited response was reported in an official letter issued by the authority.
These efforts come within the framework of the continuous efforts of the body, which began with official addresses since the month of Shaban for the year 1446 AH, with the aim of linking specialized companies to specific strategic goods “including corn, soybeans, barley, clover, rice, food oils, and sugar” with an advanced electronic system.

Early detection of risk

This system aims to enhance the Kingdom’s ability to early monitoring and proactive of any possible challenges that may affect the stability and availability of food supplies.
The authority’s invitation included the necessity of nominating specialized representatives by companies to facilitate the data exchange process and determine the technical linking mechanisms.
As a result of this response, which was described as the weak, the Federation of Saudi Chambers of Commerce interfered again, where he sent a letter to the chambers of commerce to urge the concerned sectoral committees and companies operating in the areas referred to to realize the importance of the situation and expedite the completion of the electronic linking process with the General Authority for Food Security without further delay.
The importance of this system is that it is a vital tool for early detection of potential risks that threaten food security and food safety.
In general, early food alarm systems depend on accurate monitoring and analysis of data related to the various stages of the food chain, whether it is data related to the availability of goods and their stocks “food security” or data about the potential chemical or biological pollutants “food safety”, with the aim of preventing or reducing negative effects.

Consumer health protection

The main objectives of such systems include protecting consumers’ health through early detection of any food that may be unsafe or unavailable, preventing their access to markets or finding alternatives to them, and reducing possible economic losses resulting from the outbreak of food transmitted or supply disorders.
In addition to enhancing the confidence of consumers and investors in the strength and stability of the national diet by ensuring quality, safety and availability.
The effectiveness of the early warning system depends heavily on the completion of its basic components, which include collecting comprehensive and reliable data from various stages of production, manufacturing, storage and distribution, and the use of advanced analytical techniques to detect any deviations or immediate risks, and the ability of the system to issue fast and accurate warnings and alerts for the relevant authorities to take the necessary preventive measures.
Therefore, the Chambers Union stressed the importance of corporate cooperation and its quick response to complete the link, pointing to the possibility of arranging coordination meetings with the authority for those who need more clarifications.