MFDA empowered to shut down unsanitary food vendors

Health Minister Dr Abdulla Khaleel said that starting tomorrow, the Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) will have the authority to close down establishments selling unsanitary food once the new Food Safety Act comes into force.

During a press conference, Minister Khaleel said that the MFDA previously operated with limited legal powers, but the new law will define food safety standards, including the required size of food preparation facilities and other additional standards, which were previously only determined through regulations.

Currently, food manufacturers are inspected under the Public Health Act. However, while hotels and restaurants are subject to inspections, there has been no mechanism to inspect the hygiene standards of homemade food sold in shops. Minister Khaleel highlighted the difficulty in tracking the source of such food items, leading to a lack of accountability.

Under the new law, food items will be required to have labels, making it easier to trace and ensure accountability for homemade products sold in shops. The law also empowers MFDA to close shops selling unsanitary food and to permit their reopening once the issues are resolved.

The Minister noted that registered food service establishments generally adhere to standards, but problems often arise with unregistered vendors, particularly among undocumented expatriates. He urged the public to report any instances of unsanitary food being sold, and announced that a convenient reporting system and a dedicated contact number would be set up.

This year, 1,579 premises have been inspected, with 14 of them closed for violations. Of these, 13 have since reopened after rectifying the issues.

The new law will also introduce stricter penalties, with fines of up to MVR 1 million, compared to the current maximum fine of MVR 10,000 under the Public Health Act.