The Food
Safety and Quality Authority (FSQA) of The Gambia, under the Office of the
President in Banjul, will soon start the registration and licensing of all
firms and individuals involved in the business of food and animal feed in the
country.
This is required by the 2011 law which set up the FSQA, called the Food Safety and Quality Act 2011.
It gave the Authority the mandate to ensure that all food and animal feed, either locally produced, produced or imported, is wholesome along the food chain from production stage up to final consumption by the consumer.
According to a press release issued by the FSQA, “food includes water and beverages, as well as animal feed”.
The release added that “a person shall not operate a business dealing in food or feed unless he or she is registered with the Authority.”
“Food business covers any undertaking, whether for profit or not, and whether public or private; and carrying out any activities related to the production, processing and distribution of food, for example, food packaging, transportation of food, and so on.”
The Authority is also responsible for the inspection, certification and approval of vehicles and vessels dealing with food.
It is also in charge of the assessment and designation of laboratory services in terms of their technical capacity to carry out food and feed analysis or testing.
The office of the Authority is located at No. 2 Kairaba Avenue Centenary Building at Westfield Junction.
It is inviting “all establishments and individuals involved in the business of food and animal feed in the country” to contact the Authority at the above address.
