The Food Safety Act now mandates those preparing food at home for commercial purposes to also obtain licenses.
The Food Safety Act, which takes effect today, mandates that individuals preparing food for commercial purposes from home must obtain a food preparation license.
At a press conference held yesterday on the Act's implementation, Minister of Health Dr Abdulla Khaleel said that, in addition to the regulations established under the Act, home cooks must also acquire a license.
The license number issued by the Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) must be displayed on food packaging which will help identify the responsible individual in the event of any issues with the food, the minister said.
"As soon as home-based food items are licensed and meet the required standards, they will be compliant. However, if they violate the standards, the food manufacturer can be identified through the label, which will indicate where the food was produced and under whose authority," Minister Khaleel said.
The Minister also noted that even small food-selling facilities within homes must obtain licenses, which should be obtained within three months of the Act coming into force.
Failure to comply may result in fines or legal action if the food is found to be unusually harmful to health.
Khaleel said that the current law has challenges, such as the difficulty in monitoring unregistered food preparation activities due to other legal constraints on home inspections.
He said that public support in the government's efforts to ensure food safety is important.
"Instead of posting photos and videos of unsanitary food preparation on social media, the Minister urged people to report such issues directly to the ministry for action to be taken against such operations," Minister Khaleel said.
He said that steps cannot be taken if the place in question is cleared out when the authorities get there.
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