The CEO of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), H.E. Dr. Hisham S. Aljadhey, met with the Chairperson of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), Dr. Allan Azegele, in a bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the CAC 49th session, taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, from July 6–10.

The meeting was attended by the Vice-Chairpersons of the Codex Alimentarius Commission: Khaled Al-Zahrani (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), Betul Fazgeçer (Republic of Türkiye), and Jing Tian (People’s Republic of China).

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), has been re-elected as Vice-Chairperson of the Codex Alimentarius Commission during its 49th session held in Geneva, Switzerland. This re-election extends Saudi Arabia’s leadership role within the Codex through the conclusion of its 50th regular session scheduled for 2027.

Saudi Arabia's New International Achievement for Traditional Foods: Codex Alimentarius Commission Adopts Maamoul Standard

The Codex Alimentarius Commission, during its 49th session in Geneva, has officially adopted a new food standard for “Maamoul” (a traditional date-filled cookie). The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), chaired the development of this standard within the Codex Coordinating Committee for the Near East (CCNE).

The CEO of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), H.E. Dr. Hisham S. Aljadhey, is leading Saudi Arabia’s delegation at the 49th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), held in Geneva, Switzerland, from July 6 to 10, 2026. The session is attended by Codex leadership, representatives from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as delegates from member and observer states.

The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), represented by the National Nutrition Committee, has officially released the "Saudi Food Composition Tables" book. The publication is a key output of the Saudi Food Composition Database initiative, a core component of the Health Sector Transformation Program under Saudi Vision 2030.

The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has achieved a significant scientific and regulatory milestone by securing ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation for its Dammam Reference Laboratory. With this achievement, it becomes the first national reference laboratory in the Middle East to develop and certify an advanced analytical method for monitoring Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in food products.

The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has revealed the results of its pre-Hajj campaign for the 1447 AH Hajj season, which targeted establishments under its supervision across the Makkah and Madinah regions. The campaign demonstrated advanced levels of regulatory readiness and operational efficiency, reflecting high compliance among facilities and significantly enhancing the safety of food, drugs, and medical products provided to pilgrims.

H.E. Dr. Hisham S. Aljadhey, CEO of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), conducted a field inspection tour of several SFDA facilities and operational sites in the Makkah and Eastern Regions as part of the intensive preparations for this year’s Hajj season. The tour aimed to enhance the efficiency of regulatory procedures and ensure the safety of incoming products, contributing to safeguarding the health and safety of pilgrims.