Qatar: food inspections

In Qatar the app follows the Ministry of Public Health's Food Service Establishment Guidelines (the Food Safety Code of Practice for Food Services, 2020), which are based on HACCP, under Law No. 8 of 1990 on food control. Registering your business on Watheq, the MoPH's food safety system, stays compulsory: Chef Hygiene keeps your daily records, it does not register you.

Inspection body

Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), Food Safety Department; the municipalities inspect too

The Ministry of Public Health's Food Safety Department inspects restaurants, caterers and central kitchens; the municipalities inspect too (Law No. 8 of 1990, Art. 7). Inspectors may enter, ask for every book and paper about your food, and take samples (Art. 20). Civil Defence (the Ministry of Interior) checks fire safety.

Ask the inspector what to put right and by when. Under Law No. 8 of 1990, knowingly selling spoilt or unfit food can bring prison, a fine of QAR 7,000 to 15,000 (doubled for a repeat or for harmful food), or both; breaking the food record rules up to a year in prison, a fine of up to QAR 15,000, or both; and the Ministry or the municipality can close the premises for up to 60 days, with an appeal to the minister within 10 days (Art. 24, 26 and 32).

Hygiene rating

The MoPH publishes a six-level food safety rating after its inspections, which you can search on Watheq. We could not confirm the names of the levels, so Chef Hygiene shows no rating card for Qatar.