Contrary to what is believed, there are many official organizations that control the food “from farm to fork” in Lebanon.
It would be nice if the average Lebanese know that what he is eating is controlled, and supervised. Especially by people who work very hard to make sure that the food we eat, like for example, Tabbouleh, is in fact safe and nutritious.
Below is a list of some organizations in Lebanon that ensure a good quality of what we eat:
QUALEB’s overall mission is to provide extensive support and advice to strengthen Quality Management, Capabilities and Infrastructure in Lebanon.
By improving and developing the major functions of the Lebanese conformity assessment infrastructure, Qualeb seeks to align Lebanese practices to match EU practices in the fields of Standardisation, Testing, Certification & Inspection, Accreditation Technical Regulations & Conformity Assessment and Market Surveillance.
Qualeb supports local manufacturers in the development of a quality approach in order to improve the Quality and Safety of Lebanese products and services for consumers’ wellfare and to encourage Lebanese export opportunities.
Today, QUALEB has already achieved a noticeable part of its tasks, being the direct support to 16 private and public testing and calibration laboratories, the drafting of several laws needed for the quality chain and the assistance of 50 national companies in the implementation of ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 22000:2005 standards, besides other activities involving major stakeholders.
LIBNOR is a public institution attached to the Ministry of Industry. It was established by a law dated 23/7/1962 as the sole authority to issue, publish and amend Lebanese standards and to give the right to use the Lebanese Conformity Mark (NL Mark).
National standards cover all products falling within the agro-food, chemical, construction, mechanical, electrotechnical and electromechanical sectors.
Moreover, Lebanese standards deal, for example, with measurements, conventions, symbols, methods of analysis and testing, codes of practice for technical work and technical rules and codes for buildings.
he Ministry of Economy and Trade is responsible for economic matters and national stockpiling needs. These include the planning and coordination of, and implementation in, the fields of trade and the economy.
- Planning for and implementing international trade agreements in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants.
- Undertaking economic studies, with a specific focus on foreign trade, balance of payments, from which statistics are derived and published.
- Monitoring and following up on issues related to the protection of trade, industrial, technical, artistic and literary ownership by implementing relevant international agreements and treaties.
- Facilitating the meeting of essential consumption needs, consistent with legal requirements.
- Following evolving stockpiling matters to ensure that domestic consumer needs for essential products are met, particularly during periods of scarcity, while working to create price stability in the context of a legal margin of profits, and making available relevant technical resources toward these ends.
- Monitoring issues concerning wheat and derivative products, as well as of goods related to and for those used in sugar production.
The Association’s activities on the national level encompass a wide range of interests. In addition to its role as a pillar of the Tripartite social system, the Association has a strategic interest in seeing qualitative advances made, among others, in primary, secondary and university education; in research and development; in linking universities and research & development institutes to the industrial sector; in vocational and technical training and education; in infrastructure; industrial parks; industrial credits; etc . . .
To achieve its goals in these vital areas – with their direct impact on economic and particularly industrial growth – the Association is represented and is active in the following, mainly long – established national councils and committees:
The Economic Consultative Committee to the Prime Minister.
The Social Security Fund.
The Industrial Research Institute.
The Lebanese Norms & Standards Institute.
The Courts of Labor Arbitration.
The Official Committee of Trade Agreements.
The Vocational Training Center Adults.
The High Council for Professional and Technical Education.
The Customs Sectorial Assessment Committees.
The Lebanese Association for Technical Education at all levels.
مؤسسة الابحاث العلمية تسعى لتطبيق اتفاقية العمل الدولية الموقعة في العام 2001 بهدف تطويرالسلامة والصحة المهنية في الزراعة
كما تهدف الى حماية العمال الزراعيين وحماية البيئة التي يعملون بها وتسعى مؤسسة الابحاث العلمية بالتعاون مع مكتب منظمة الضحة العالمية في لبنان الى رفع اناتجية العمل الزراعي والى تحقيق النمو الزراعي المطرد
Established in 1953, the Industrial Research Institute (IRI) is a Lebanese institution for studies, industrial research and scientific testing and analysis.
- To conduct studies and research relevant to the establishment of new industries
- To investigate and disseminate information about available raw materials with a view to defining their use and establishing the best means for their exploitation
- To provide, on an international scientific level, reliable services in testing and analysis and to grant certificates of quality or conformity with standards and purchase specifications
- To provide specialized technological, management and economic consulting services to existing industries and industrial development schemes
- To maintain close co-operation with official institutions, industrial organizations, and development boards both on the national and international levels in matters relating to the industrial development of the country
The Microbiology Laboratory is considered one of the recent units funded at the Industrial Research Institute. Equipped with the most technological advanced systems, the laboratory assures a wide range of services to its clients, from the routine analysis of food, residual substrates (water, soil, compost…) to the microbiological challenge for several products such as paint, detergents, cosmetics and Para pharmaceuticals.
All analyses are conducted in conformity with Reference International bodies such as ISO, AFNOR, BSI, ASTM and AOAC.
All experiments and analyses are usually applied to provide the following services:
- To assure the microbiological conformity
of food products for human consumption - To determine the contamination level
of delivered samples - To control sterilization and preservation of
long term shelf-life products
The elaborated tests at the Microbiology laboratory provide the identification of the following micro-organisms:
- Total Viable Count
- Total and Fecal Coliforms (eventually E.coli)
- Staphylococcus and Streptococcus
- Anaerobic bacteria and Clostridium perfringens
- Yeasts and Molds
- Salmonella
- Pseudomonas sp (eventually Ps. aeruginosa)
- Lysteria, Yersinia, Bacillus cereus
- Legionella (Pathogenic host of stagnant
cooling water as for hotels and others)
- In addition to the several tests and methods commonly adopted, the laboratory is capable to implement requested procedure for the application of an unpublished type of test.As well, let’s mention that all the laboratory activities are accomplished in a way to guarantee the safety for both operators and samples; elimination and disposal of experimental wastes are done regularly in a respectful ecological atmosphereTextile, Leather and Rubber Laboratory
- Soil mechanics and Civil Engineering Laboratory
- Mechanical Engineering Laboratory
- Water Laboratory
- Electrical Laboratory
- Metrology and Calibration Laboratory
And much more organizations are present in Lebanon…
Now, here are some links that might be useful for you:
STANDARDISATION
- European Committee for Standardisation (CEN):
www.cen.eu- International Organisation for Standardisation:
www.iso.org- LIBNOR:
www.libnor.org- Standards related to food:
http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/index_en.jsp- CENELEC – European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization:
www.cenelec.orgACCREDITATION
- International Accreditation Forum:
www.iaf.nu- International Laboratory Accreditation Co-operation:
www.ilac.org- European Cooperation for Accreditation :
www.european-accreditation.orgMETROLOGY
- Metre Convention and International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM):
www.bipm.org- International Organisation for Legal Metrology:
www.oiml.org- European Cooperation in Legal Metrology:
www.welmec.org- Asia-Pacific Legal Metrology Forum:
www.aplmf.orgMARKET SURVEILLANCE
- UK Trading Standards Office :
www.tradingstandards.gov.uk- European Food Safety Authority (EFSA):
www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/efsa_locale-1178620753812_home.htm- EU Rapid Alert System on dangerous consumer products:
http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/dyna/rapex/rapex_archives_en.cfmEUROPEAN UNION
- General information on the European Union:
www.europa.eu- Information on the activities of the European Commission:
www.europa.eu/comm- European Commission Delegation in Lebanon:
www.dellbn.cec.eu.int- Full texts of all EU legislation:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu- Official Journal of the European Union:
http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex/JOIndex.do?ihmlang=en- EU Basic Facts:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/publications/booklets/eu_glance/51/index_en.htm- EU on-line Customs data base:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/taxation_customs/dds/en/tarhome.htm- EU Help Desk for Developing Countries:
www.exporthelp.europa.euEUROPEAN DIRECTIVES ON PRODUCT SAFETY
- Guide to the implementation of directives based on the New Approach and Global Approach:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/newapproach/legislation/guide/index.htm- EU website on New Approach:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/newapproach//index_en.htm- Database on Notified Bodies for European New Approach directives:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/newapproach/nando- Standards related to New Approach directives:
www.newappraoch.orgWORLD TRADE ORGANISATION
- General information:
www.wto.org- Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement (TBT):
http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tbt_e/tbt_e.htmFOOD SAFETY
- EU Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection:
http://ec.europa.eu/food/index_en.htm- From Farm to Fork – Safe Food for Europe’s Consumers:
http://europe.eu.int/comm/publications/booklets/move/46/en.pdf- Healthy Food for Europe’s Citizens:
http://ec.europa.eu/publications/booklets/move/20/txt_en.pdf- EU General Food Law (Council Regulation 178/2002):
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/pri/en/oj/dat/2002/l_031/l_03120020201en00010024.pdf- Requirements and the New Rules on Food Hygiene and Official Food Products (EU):
http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/international/trade/interpretationimports.pdf- Guidelines on the Implementation of the main EU General Food Law requirements:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/food/foodlaw/guidance/indexen.htm- RASFF – EU Rapid Alert System for Food and FEED:
http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/rapidalert/index_en.htm- Food Rejected by FDA (US Food & Drugs Administration):
http://www.fda.gov/ora/import/default.htm- Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)
http://www.fao.org/ag/magazine/GAP-V2-June02.pdf- Codex Alimentarius Food Hygiene Text:
ftp://ftp.fao.org/codex/Publications/Booklets/Hygiene/FoodHygiene2003e.pdf- United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO):
www.fao.orgHACCP
- Guidance Document on HACCP Principles (EU):
http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/biosafety/hygienelegislation/guidancedochaccpen.pdf- BRC Standard (British Retail Consortium):
http://www.brc.org.uk/standards/index.htm- International Food Standard, (France & Germany):
www.food-care.inf- SQF 2000 (Safe Quality Food):
www.sqfi.com- Dutch HACCP Code (The Netherlands):
www.foodsafetymanagment.infoINTERNATIONAL QUALITY ORGANISATIONS:
- EOQ – European Organisation for Quality:
www.eoq.org- EFQM – European Foundation for Quality Management:
www.efqm.org- ASQ – American Society for Quality:
www.asq.orgRELEVANT LEBANESE INSTITUTIONS and TRADE & INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS
- LIBNOR – Lebanese Standardization Institute
www.libnor.org- Ministry of Economy & Trade, Beirut
www.economy.gov.lb- Syndicate of Lebanese Food Industries
www.slfi.org.lb- Association of Lebanese Industrialists
www.ali.org.lb- Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Beirut
www.ccib.org.lb- Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Zahle and the Bekaa
www.cciaz.org.lb- Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Saida and the South
www.ccias.org.lb- Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Tripoli and the North
- www.cciat.org.lb
~~~ Bonne appétit ~~~
