Royal Decree No. M/1 of 2014 issuing Ministerial Resolution No.475 approving the Food Law.

This Act consisting of 45 articles divided in XII Chapters aims at (i) ensuring food safety and improving its quality; (ii) protecting consumers' health by reducing the risks associated with food, and spreading proper nutrition awareness; (iii) protecting the consumer against harmful, adulterated, misleading or unfit food; and (iv) facilitating the food trade, and it applies to all stages of the food chain. The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) (i) issues and updates the technical regulations and standards for food, taking into account the international standards and adopting the principle of risk analysis; (ii) issues the regulations governing the procedures for authorizing the importation of food into the Kingdom; and (iii) approves food import permissions.
The Law establishes that must registered with the SFDA all food establishments, together with their products, and laboratories dealing with food. Licenses are requested for (i) laboratories handling food; (ii) food establishments that circulate food; (iii) export of food; (iv) anyone engaged in the trade of food. Article 16 lists the cases in which the circulation of food is prohibited, and the food establishment shall be responsible for ensuring the application of the provisions of this Law.
Food control is accomplished by the Authority through a rapid warning system to report any direct or indirect risk to human health and, for this purpose, the SFDA may (i) inspect food facilities and have access to the documents and records and to keep a copy thereof if necessary; (ii) draw samples of food to verify their conformity with the provisions of this Law; (iii) analyze them if necessary in its laboratories or registered laboratories; and (iv) issue an order to close a facility to withdraw the food if there is a potential risk to public health.