Request a Demo1. Competent authorities
In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) serves as the principal regulatory body responsible for establishing, updating, and enforcing laws and mandatory regulations related to product safety and quality. Besides, the authority monitors both locally produced and imported products to verify compliance with established laws, technical regulations and circulars.
In addition to the SFDA, the regulatory framework for food in Saudi Arabia involves the collaboration of several other key government agencies. These include the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO), the General Food Security Authority (GFSA), and the Ministry of Commerce, etc.
2. Regulatory framework
Saudi Food and Drug Authority Law, which delineates the SFDA's extensive regulatory, executive, and supervisory tasks, empowering it to ensure the safety and quality of food.
Implementing Regulations and Specific Technical Regulations and Circulars which translate the broad principles articulated in the primary laws into actionable requirements
Conditions and Requirements for Importing Food to Saudi Arabia
Guidelines for Approval of Foreign Competent Control Authorities and Establishments
Regulation on the Protection of Food from Intentional Hazards
……
Gulf Standardization Organization (GSO) Standards, which are referenced and enforced by the SFDA, forming a significant part of food compliance requirements and facilitating smoother trade and economic integration among GCC member countries
3. Market access
3.1 Importer registration
Importers intending to bring food products into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) are required to register with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) via the Ghad platform, part of the SFDA’s E-services.
To register with the SFDA, the importer shall:
Submit an application to SFDA and complete the relevant registration forms.
Possess a valid commercial registration that includes food trade as a listed activity.
Appoint designated personnel responsible for operations, including individuals authorized to act during their absence.
Provide all required documentation and fulfill the specified registration criteria.
The importer registration is valid for five years and may be renewed upon expiry.
3.2 Product registration
All food products must be registered with the SFDA prior to importation into Saudi Arabia. The responsibility for product registration lies with the importer. Once the importer is successfully registered, they must proceed to register each food product they intend to import through the Ghad platform.
To register product with the SFDA, the importer shall:
Ensure the product complies with all relevant laws, technical regulations and official circulars
Submit a product registration request and fill out the forms
Provide required product information including ingredients, country of origin, shelf life, label, testing report, halal certificate, etc
Estimated processing time for product registration vary depending on the product category:
General food: 5 working days
Energy drinks: 20 working days
Infant and young children's foods: 90 working days
Food for special medical purposes: 90 working days
Food for special dietary uses: 90 working days
Novel foods: 90 working days
3.3 Halal certification
Saudi Arabia enforces strict Halal requirements under regulations SFDA.FD/GSO 2055-1 and SFDA.FD/GSO 993 for product derived from animal sources, ensuring full compliance with Shariah law. Halal certification verifies that products are sourced from Halal-certified animals or processed according to Islamic standards at any stage of food chain, free-from non-Halal substances such as pork, alcohol, and cross-contaminated materials.
These requirements extend beyond conventional meat and poultry products to include composite food products containing animal-derived ingredients or additives. According to the SFDA Circular, Halal certificates are required for food products that contain, in any proportion, meat and meat products or derivatives, animal fats, gelatin, collagen, animal-derived rennet, and enzymes of animal origin, as well as any products bearing a Halal logo on its packaging. Therefore, special attention to be paid to products under food categories such as milk-based products and dairy analogues, dough-based pastries, confectioneries and chocolate, ice cream and frozen desserts, foods for special dietary uses, and other similar items. Importers and manufacturers are advised to carefully assess product formulations and labeling to determine the need for Halal certification prior to registration and importation.
Key requirements for halal certificates
To ensure compliance with Saudi Arabia's Halal regulations, the following certificates are required for applicable food products:
Halal slaughter certificate for unprocessed meat and poultry products as well as raw gelatin.
Halal certificate for all food products of animal origin, or those containing animal-derived ingredients or additives.
Importantly, all halal certificates must be obtained from Halal certification bodies designated by Halal Center of SFDA.
3.4 Approved countries (regions) and establishments for import of foods of animal origin
To manage food safety risks associated with imported foods of animal origin, the SFDA requires certain food categories to be imported exclusively from approved establishments located in approved exporting countries or regions. Specifically, for the following categories, imports are only permitted from establishments that have been nominated by the competent authority in the exporting country and subsequently approved by the SFDA:
Meat and meat products
Fish and aquaculture products
Eggs and egg products
Gelatin and collagen
Honey and honey products
Milk and milk products
Breast milk substitutes
Check the approved food establishments via SFDA’s Approved Establishment Directory. For non-approved countries wishing to export foods of animal origin to Saudi Arabia, the SFDA provides specific Guidelines on Procedures for Approval of Foreign Competent Control Authorities and Establishments.
The SFDA reserves the right to temporarily suspend imports from specific regions or establishments if food safety concerns arise.
3.5 Import permit for poultry, fish and egg products
An import permit is a mandatory requirement for the customs clearance of the following product categories at Saudi ports and borders:
Poultry meat and its products
Fish and aquaculture products
Eggs and egg products
Importantly, the import permit is consignment-specific, meaning it must be obtained prior to customs clearance for each shipment.
To apply for an import permit, the importer shall submit an import permit request to the SFDA, stating the information of establishment name and approval number, country of origin, product name and type, and attaching the following supporting documents:
Proof of payment of the import permit fee
Copy of the importer’s commercial registration
Copy of the invoice or proforma/purchase invoice
Proof of payment for inspection services if required
The export plan including the quantity required to be exported to Saudi Arabia every six months, the establishment monthly production capacity, percentage of production allocated for the Saudi market, and the quantity expected to be exported each month
More application details can be found in the Guidelines for Issuing Import Permits for Poultry, Its Products, Fish, Aquatic Products of Animal Origin, Eggs and Its Products.
3.6 Health certificate for foods of animal origin
Consignments of foods of animal origin shall be accompanied by appropriate health certificates issued by the competent authority in the exporting country. The certificate include health attestations that demonstrate the safety and suitability of the exported product in accordance with applicable SFDA laws, technical regulations and circulars.
Health certificates must follow the format of the SFDA-approved health certificate models or GSO health certificate templates. The SFDA has set a series of SFDA health certificate models.
3.7 Customs Clearance
Mandatory general requirements for food clearance include:
Imported food complies with the relevant laws, technical regulations and circulars
The importer has registered the company and food products on "Ghad" platform
Clearance requests are submitted through the "Fasah" trade platform
A licensed warehouse is available in accordance with the SFDA's requirements
Mandatory general documents for food clearance to be submitted via the Fasah platform:
Customs declaration
Copy of country of origin
Copy of commercial invoice
Copy of packing declaration & packing list
Copy of the bill of lading
Certificate of conformity
Halal certificate if applicable
Copy of health certificate if applicable
Copy of import permit if applicable.
Additional documents if applicable: organic certification, gulf food certificate, etc.
4. Product standard
4.1 Key product categories and mandatory technical regulations
Notes:
Food supplements are defined as food products used to supplement the normal diet, which contain one or more ingredients with nutritional or physiological effects. A food supplement may consist of one or a combination of the following components: vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids, enzymes, prebiotics and probiotics, collagen, dietary fibers, melatonin, propolis, pollen, herbs or food herbal extracts.
Food supplements must comply with SFDA.FD 55:2023 Food Supplement. The product will be classified as a pharmaceutical product if it meet any of the following criteria:
Product | Classification |
Contains medicinal herb(s) or herbs with medical intended purpose | Herbal Product (Any plant or herb manufactured in a pharmaceutical dosage form, and presented with a medical claim) |
Concertation(s) exceed the daily allowed limit specified in the SFDA.FD 55 | Human Pharmaceutical Product (Product manufactured in a pharmaceutical dosage form and contain one or more of active substances used internally or externally for disease treatment or prevention) |
Intended to treat, prevent and/or diagnose a human disease. | |
Contains active medicinal/pharmaceutical ingredient | |
Not intended for ingestion (e.g., topicals, inhalers, suppositories) | |
Concertation(s) within the daily allowed limit specified in the SFDA.FD 55 and intended to treat, prevent and/or diagnose a human disease | Health Product (Finished labeled products in pharmaceutical dosage forms, with low-risk ingredients aimed at restoring or modifying physiological functions via pharmacological, immunological, or metabolic actions.) |
Products containing fatty acids, amino acids, enzymes, prebiotics and probiotics, collagen, dietary fibers, and intended to treat, prevent and/or diagnose a human disease |
More classification details can be referenced in Products Classification Guidance and Circular 1337 Updating Classification Criteria for Food Supplement
4.2 Food hygiene standards
Food hygiene item | Technical regulation (mandatory) |
Non-halal substance | |
Pesticide residue | |
Veterinary drug residue | |
Toxins contaminant | |
Microorganisms |
5. Food additive usage requirements
Food additives are mainly regulated under the SFDA.FD/GSO 2500 Additives Permitted for Use in Food Stuffs. Without prejudice to the GMP principles, the SFDA.FD/GSO 2500 establishes the conditions for using food additives across food categories, which involves applicable functional classes, food categories, maximum use level, and specific notes if applicable.
The usage conditions for food additives are clearly defined through the following three main tables:
Table 1 Additives permitted for use in specific food categories or individual food items under defined conditions.
Annex Table (1A) Natural colors permitted for use in all food products
Annex Table (1B) Synthetic colors permitted for use in all food products
Table 2 Food additives permitted by food category.
Table 3 Additives permitted for use in accordance with GMP, unless otherwise specified
Annex Table (3A) Additives permitted for use in specified foodstuff in accordance with GMP, unless otherwise specified
Annex Table (3B) Food categories or individual food items not covered by Table 3 but shall comply with Table 1&2
The use of food additives must comply with conditions set in those tables, without prejudice to the requirements stipulated in the specific product standards.
Notably, when using sweeteners in food products for purposes other than sweetening, and the proportion of sweeteners does not exceed 10%, it is mandatory to state their specific requirements as outlined in the SFDA. FD GSO 995:2021 General Requirements for Sweeteners Permitted In Food.
The use of food flavorings must follow the SFDA.FD GSO 707:2023 Flavorings Permitted for Use in Foodstuffs and Instructions for Their Uses which covers natural and synthetic flavorings and flavor enhancers that are permitted for use in food products, with instructions for their safe use.
The SFDA.FD 2500 also prescribes requirements for food additives carried over from raw materials or other ingredients into final foods. They are subject to the following conditions:
The additives are permitted for use in raw materials or other ingredients, and the content must not exceed the specified maximum use level
The content of the carried-over additives in the final food product must not exceed the amount that would result from raw materials or other ingredients under the most extreme technologically justifiable manufacturing conditions, and not exceed specified maximum use level.
Carry-over of food additives is not permitted in infant formulas and baby foods.
6. Labeling
6.1 Mandatory labeling items for prepackaged food
All prepackaged food products must bear the following information on the label:
Product name
Ingredient list (including additives)
Nutritional labeling
Net content
Name and address of manufacturer and importer
Country of origin
Expiration date and instructions for storage and use
Batch number
Mandatory items if applicable: irradiated, organic, halal, allergens, etc.
Mandatory warnings and declarations if applicable (e.g., products containing guarana or guarana extract must indicate the presence of caffeine)
Notes:
The language of food labeling shall be Arabic. When one or more language(s) additional languages are used, all the information provided in another languages shall be identical to those written in Arabic. Products not intended for direct sale to consumers are exempt from the Arabic labeling requirement.
If the food product or any of its ingredients is derived from animals, the specific animal species must be indicated on the label.
For additives, they should be labeled with functional class, along with their specific names or international identification number. For flavoring substances, they shall be labeled with specific name and the functional classes as natural flavoring, natural identical flavoring, or artificial flavoring, as appropriate.
Allergen warnings are required if the product contains or may contain traces of the following substances: ①Cereals containing gluten ②Crustaceans and their products ③Eggs and their products ④Fish and their products ⑤Peanut, soybeans and their products ⑥Nuts and their products ⑦Milk and its products ⑧Sulfur dioxide and sulfites with a concentration of more than 10 ppm ⑨Celery and its products ⑩Mustard and its products ⑪Sesame seeds and their products ⑫Mollusks and their products ⑬Lupine and its products
When labeling country of origin, if the food is subject to manufacturing treatment in another country where the treatment changes its original nature, then the country in which this manufacturing treatment took place is considered to be the country of origin
If a product undergoes substantial manufacturing or processing in a country different—changing the product's essential nature—the country where this processing occurred shall be considered the country of origin.
No phrases, logos, marks or symbols related to the implementation of quality management systems certificates such as (ISO 9001). shall be written.
Any claim, symbol, logo, or mark related to halal, organic status, or product quality may only be used if supported by valid documentation or certification.
More details can be found in the SFDA.FD/GSO 9:2022 Labeling of Prepackaged Food Stuffs, SFDA.FD/GSO 2233:2025 Requirements of Nutritional Labeling, SFDA.FD/GSO 150-1: 2021 Expiration Dates for Food Products – Part 1: Mandatory Expiration Dates, SFDA.FD/GSO 2055-1:2015 HALAL FOOD - Part 1 : General Requirements, SFDA.FD/GSO 2333:2022 Requirements for Health and Nutrition Claims on Food Products
Recommended materials
Food Compliance Essentials for Exporting to Saudi Arabia
#Webinar
Food Compliance Essentials for Exporting to Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia has one of the most rapidly developing food industries in the Middle East, governed by robust food safety and compliance regulations set primarily by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA). As the Kingdom continues to emphasize food safety, quality, traceability, and compliance with international standards, it is essential for food businesses, especially those seeking to export to and enter the Saudi market, to understand and implement regulatory requirements efficiently.This webinar aims to provide food manufacturers, exporters, quality professionals, and regulatory officers with a clear overview of the current food compliance landscape in Saudi Arabia. It will cover key SFDA regulations, labeling rules, import controls, certification requirements, and the most common challenges businesses face in achieving compliance.Notes: The webinar livestreaming is freely available to all users. You are welcome to register for and participate in the webinar.If you can't attend the live webinar, register anyway and we will upload the webinar materials as soon as they're available.Kindly be aware that the access to the slides, recording, and Q&A collection is limited to ChemLinked premium members only [Upgrade now].* Global Food Compliance Service
We provide various market entry services to help stakeholders better understand exporting requirements, establish business and secure a competitive place to facilitate trade development.
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