Food Safety Records in Qatar: Laws, Inspections and Ratings

Qatar food safety records explained: Law No. 8 of 1990, MoPH inspections, Watheq, the published rating, records inspectors ask for.

2026-10-31 · Chef Hygiene

Do food businesses in Qatar need food safety records? Yes. Qatar's Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) Code of Practice for food services is based on HACCP, and it says records must be on site, dated, checked and signed. Law No. 8 of 1990 also makes it a crime to break the rules on food records. The MoPH Food Safety Department and the municipalities inspect, and the MoPH publishes a six-level food safety rating on its Watheq system. This page explains the Qatari rules, what inspectors look for, where businesses go wrong, and how digital records help.

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Every fact below comes from an official source, linked in the text and at the end. Where the law sets no number and a number comes from MoPH guidance, we say so. Where we could not confirm something on an official page, we say that too, and we do not guess. This page is not legal advice.

## Contents

The law: what every Qatari food business must do
Who inspects you, and how often
The published food safety rating
The records inspectors ask for
Where businesses go wrong
By type of business
Why digital records help in Qatar
How Chef Hygiene helps
A fair price, on purpose
Less paper
FAQ
Official sources

## 1. The law: what every Qatari food business must do

The main law. Law No. 8 of 1990 on the regulation of human food control, published on the Al Meezan legal portal. It bans trading food that is spoilt, unfit or harmful (Art. 2 to 4), and says the places, containers, transport and people that handle food must meet its conditions (Art. 9).
Records by law (Art. 13). Everyone who trades in or handles food must keep regular records of all the food in their possession: quantities, packaging, weights, source, the date they got it, how much was sold and when, and the papers that go with it. Breaking this rule is a crime under Art. 26.
The MoPH Code of Practice. The MoPH Food Service Establishment Guidelines (Food Safety Code of Practice for Food Services, 2020) cover restaurants, caterers and central kitchens. They say all food safety programmes are based on the HACCP approach, and that the owner must develop, review and run a food safety management system.
A licence first. Law No. 5 of 2015 says no restaurant or café may open without a licence. Fire protection must also be certified by Civil Defence before a licence is given (Law No. 25 of 2015, Art. 4).
Register on Watheq. Watheq is the MoPH's electronic food safety system. Food premises, and their food handlers, register on it. Registration asks for papers such as a trade licence, a pest control contract, a menu (for restaurants), a food safety certificate (for example HACCP), a risk analysis and a process flow diagram. We could not confirm how strictly each paper is asked of small restaurants, so ask the MoPH. Chef Hygiene keeps your daily records. It does not register you.
A Person in Charge. The owner appoints a Person in Charge, who is at the premises during all working hours, checks the records, and gives the inspector the documents. In a small business this person can be an outside contractor (MoPH Code and Person in Charge guide).
Temperatures: guidance, not law. The numbers below come from the MoPH Code. They are not set in Law No. 8 of 1990:
Chilled food: below 4°C. Fridges hold potentially hazardous food at 4°C or less.
Frozen food: -18°C or colder.
Hot holding: above 64°C. Food that was below 64°C for more than 2 hours is thrown away.
Cooking: record the core temperature of each batch. For poultry, chicken liver and minced meat the Code gives 75°C for 30 seconds, 70°C for 3 minutes or 65°C for 15 minutes.
Reheating: core at 75°C or more, once only.
Cooling: to 5°C or colder within 2 hours.
Fridges are checked and recorded at least twice a day, and freezers at least once a day.
Staff health. Every food handler holds a valid health certificate from the MoPH Medical Commission. Staff must report illness, and staff kept off food work come back only when a medical practitioner clears them (MoPH Code 6.7.6). We could not confirm how long the health certificate lasts.
Staff training and the food handler permit. The Code asks for a written training programme, training at the start of work and regular refreshers. On top of that, the MoPH food handler permit (an exam by job role, in Arabic or English, with its own exam for the Person in Charge) became compulsory in Qatar in June 2024 and is valid for 3 years, according to the Qatar News Agency (QNA, 10 June 2023). The MoPH service page is here.
Allergens. The Code (7.10) says every menu item shows its allergens, from the GSO standard's list, with an allergen record and separate storage and utensils. We could not confirm the exact legal list, so check with the MoPH.

## 2. Who inspects you, and how often

The MoPH and the municipalities. Law No. 8 of 1990 (Art. 7) gives the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Municipality and each municipality the job of inspecting food. The MoPH Food Safety Department inspects restaurants against its Code. Civil Defence (Ministry of Interior) checks fire safety.
Their powers. Inspectors can enter, ask for every book and paper about your food, and take samples (Art. 20).
How often. The MoPH rating guide says rated businesses are usually inspected every 2 to 6 months. A visit can come earlier after a complaint, a food poisoning case, a bad sample, a request from the business for a re-inspection, or a change of management or address.
Fines and prison under Law No. 8 of 1990. These are read from the law itself on Al Meezan:
Knowingly selling spoilt or unfit food: prison, a fine of QAR 7,000 to 15,000, or both. The fine is doubled for a repeat offence or for harmful food (Art. 24).
Breaking the food record rules: up to a year in prison, a fine of up to QAR 15,000, or both (Art. 26).
The Ministry or the municipality can close a business for up to 60 days (Art. 32).
Closure appeal. An administrative closure can be appealed to the minister within 10 days of the decision (Art. 32).

## 3. The published food safety rating

A six-level rating. The MoPH publishes a food safety rating with six levels after its inspections, risk based. It started with restaurants in hotels, then restaurants in tourist areas and malls, then other restaurants, kiosks and cafés.
Public. Anyone can search the results on Watheq (food safety rating search). The business may display its rating on site.
Updated after each inspection. The rating follows the latest MoPH inspection. A business can appeal within 15 days of the inspection report (MoPH rating guide).
The level names. We could not confirm the exact names of the six levels on an official page that is current, because the MoPH guide and the Watheq search page do not use the same words. So we do not list them. Check the Watheq search for your own result.

## 4. The records inspectors ask for

The Code says all records should be "available on site, updated, dated, verified and signed". Its record templates are optional: a business may keep its own documentation. Records the Code describes:

Fridge and freezer temperatures: fridges at least twice a day, freezers at least once a day.
Cooking, cooling and reheating: each batch.
Display checks: chilled and hot food on display.
Receiving food: product, supplier, batch or dates, receiving date and quantity.
Cleaning and disinfection: a written programme with records.
Thermometer checks: calibrated thermometers, with calibration records.
Pest control: the contract, the trap map and pest activity records.
Staff training: training records.
Staff illness: sickness records.
Allergens: an allergen record for the menu.
Food in your possession: the Law No. 8 records (Art. 13) of what you hold and where it came from.

How long to keep them. The Code says laboratory results of food samples are kept at least 2 years, and the MoPH recall guide says recall records are kept at least 5 years and available within 24 hours. We could not find an official period for daily temperature, cleaning, training or pest logs, so ask the MoPH.

## 5. Where businesses go wrong

Common record problems are easy to picture:

Gaps. Days when fridge checks were not written down, when the Code asks for two a day.
No action recorded. A reading above 4°C with nothing written about what was done.
Unsigned or undated pages. The Code asks for records that are verified and signed.
Paper that is lost or damaged. Pages get wet, greasy or thrown away.
Handler permits and health certificates out of date. Staff must hold both.
Allergens only by word of mouth. The Code asks for allergens on every menu item.

## 6. By type of business

The MoPH Code covers restaurants, caterers and central kitchens. It leaves out processing plants, retail food stores and private homes where food is made for family use. For other types we could not confirm a separate MoPH hygiene rule, so check with the authority. The records you keep depend on what you do.

Restaurant: the full Code. Daily fridge checks, cooking, hot holding, cooling, deliveries, cleaning, pest control, and allergens on every menu item.
Café: fridges and displays, cleaning, and allergens on the menu. Cafés and kiosks are in the rating scheme.
Bakery / cake shop: keep display temperatures for cream cakes, an allergen record, and delivery records. We could not confirm a separate MoPH rule for bakeries, so ask the authority.
Corner shop / grocery: the Code leaves out retail food stores. Law No. 8 of 1990 still applies, including the food records in Art. 13, and frozen or chilled food trade needs a licence (Art. 14). Ask the municipality which MoPH rules apply to you.
School / nursery kitchen: schools run a joint cafeterias committee, but we could not find the MoPH canteen hygiene text, so use the Code as a guide and ask the authority.
Caterer / food van: caterers are in the Code, and the MoPH has a separate guide for mobile and street food units. Keep records of temperatures in transport and at the event, and of the health certificates of everyone who handles food.
Home kitchen business: home businesses need a trade licence for the activity. We could not confirm a MoPH hygiene rule for home kitchens, so ask the authority before you start.

## 7. Why digital records help in Qatar

Nothing in the Code forces paper. The Code asks that records are on site, dated, verified and signed, and says templates are optional. We found no sentence that names private apps, so ask your inspector if you are unsure.
Watheq is not a daily logbook. It holds registration, inspection results and ratings. We did not find it described as the place to enter daily temperature or cleaning logs.
No gaps go unnoticed. A missed check shows up the same day, not at the next inspection.
Every staff member can take part. Kitchen teams in Qatar speak many languages. Staff can record checks on a phone or tablet in their own language.

## 8. How Chef Hygiene helps

Chef Hygiene follows the MoPH Code. What it does:

Daily checks for fridges, freezers, cooking, hot holding, cooling, cleaning and deliveries, with the time, the staff member's name and photos. Saved records cannot be changed; corrections are added as new records.
Your country's rules built in, including the MoPH Code temperatures.
Food safety plan. Answer questions, check each method, sign it, set a review date and print it. Earlier versions are kept.
Ready for inspection? Checks your recent records the way an inspector would and shows how many are ready.
Inspector's visits log. Write down each visit: date, type and officer.
Practice inspection. A free walk round with questions for your type of business and a "Put it right" list, showing the likely result in your country's own scheme.
Allergen chart, staff tablet view and labels. Every dish against the allergens, a view on the kitchen tablet, and labels.
Staff training records.
Inspector pack. Print all your records as one pack, or share them by secure link.
40 languages. Staff can use the app in their own language.

Language note. The app works in Arabic and English, and in 38 other languages.

## 9. A fair price, on purpose

Chef Hygiene costs about €2.99 a month per site (about €1.99 for bakeries, dessert shops and corner shops), shown in riyals in your app store; unlimited staff, no contract, 14-day free trial.

We keep the price low on purpose. We want as many food businesses as possible, from a single food van to a busy restaurant, to keep good records and pass inspections.

## 10. Less paper

A paper diary means printed sheets every day. One daily sheet per kitchen is 365 sheets a year, before you count delivery forms, cleaning rotas and training records. Digital records mean no record books to buy and fewer printed forms to throw away. That is less paper, and nothing to store in a back office.

## 11. FAQ

### Do I legally need food safety records in Qatar?

Law No. 8 of 1990 (Art. 13) requires records of the food you hold, and breaking this is a crime (Art. 26). The MoPH Code adds HACCP-based records that are on site, dated, checked and signed.

### Who inspects restaurants in Qatar?

The MoPH Food Safety Department and the municipalities (Law No. 8 of 1990, Art. 7). Civil Defence checks fire safety.

### What is Watheq?

The MoPH's electronic food safety system. Premises and food handlers register on it, and it publishes inspection ratings.

### Is there a hygiene rating in Qatar?

Yes. The MoPH publishes a six-level food safety rating, which you can search on Watheq.

### What are the six rating levels called?

We could not confirm the current names on an official page, because the MoPH guide and the Watheq page use different words. Check the Watheq search.

### How often are restaurants inspected?

The MoPH rating guide says usually every 2 to 6 months, and earlier after a complaint, a poisoning case, a bad sample, a re-inspection request or a change of management.

### Can a restaurant be closed?

Yes. The Ministry or the municipality can close a business for up to 60 days, and you can appeal to the minister within 10 days (Art. 32).

### What are the fines?

Knowingly selling spoilt or unfit food can bring prison, a fine of QAR 7,000 to 15,000, or both, doubled for a repeat offence or harmful food (Art. 24). Breaking the record rules can bring up to a year in prison, a fine of up to QAR 15,000, or both (Art. 26).

### What temperature must my fridge be?

MoPH Code: chilled food below 4°C, and fridges hold potentially hazardous food at 4°C or less. Freezers at -18°C or colder.

### What temperature must hot food be kept at?

MoPH Code: above 64°C. Hot food below 64°C for more than 2 hours is thrown away.

### Do my staff need a food handler permit?

The MoPH food handler permit has been compulsory in Qatar since June 2024 and is valid for 3 years, according to the Qatar News Agency. Staff also need a health certificate from the MoPH Medical Commission.

### What allergen information do I need?

The Code (7.10) says every menu item shows its allergens, from the GSO standard's list, with an allergen record.

### How long must I keep my records?

Laboratory results at least 2 years and recall records at least 5 years. We could not find an official period for daily logs, so ask the MoPH.

### Are digital records accepted?

The Code asks for records that are on site, dated, checked and signed, and says its templates are optional. We found no rule for or against apps, so ask your inspector if unsure.

### How much does Chef Hygiene cost in Qatar?

About €2.99 a month per site, or about €1.99 for bakeries, dessert shops and corner shops, shown in riyals in your app store, with unlimited staff, no contract and a 14-day free trial.

## 12. Official sources

Chef Hygiene keeps your Qatari food safety records ready for every inspection:

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