KUWAIT CITY, March 12: The General Authority for Food and Nutrition has assigned nine nutritionists to visit school cafeterias to ensure compliance with health and nutritional standards.

In a letter addressed to the Ministry of Education, the Authority explained that, based on the collaborative efforts between the Educational Development and School Activities Sector and the Community Nutrition Sector at the General Authority for Food and Nutrition, the names of the nutritionists were selected to facilitate the inspection process for the school cafeteria work teams during the 2024/2025 academic year. This includes both public and private education sectors.

Educational sources have revealed that the purpose of these visits is to inspect and ensure the safety of the food and meals served to students. These inspections are crucial to safeguarding students’ health and preventing potential health issues that could arise from consuming unsuitable food. The Authority also emphasized that this initiative is an important step in monitoring cafeteria food quality.

In a related development, the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition announced that it has started receiving applications from food companies interested in investing in the school cafeteria development project. This project is in accordance with the school cafeteria regulations outlined in Ministerial Resolution No. (5) of 2021, which was approved by the Board of Directors of the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition on October 12, 2021. Interested companies are required to submit the necessary documents to the general registry at the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition headquarters in Sabah Al-Salem District (2 - Street 207 - Building 82) or through the Authority's official website via the school cafeteria application platform.

The Authority has officially opened the application process, which will continue to receive submissions until Tuesday, May 1, 2025. Required documents for submission include: a letter of approval from the Educational Activities Department at the Ministry of Education's main headquarters, a health and commercial license for the facility providing or investing in the food services, a copy of the civil ID card of the legal representative of the facility, a copy of the contract between the investor and the school, a copy of the school’s commercial license, a license from the General Fire Force for the investment site within the school, and approval from the General Fire Force for any additional activities within the school building, such as central gas extensions or other electrical appliances. The relevant cafeteria regulations, which can be accessed through a barcode or purchased from the Authority's website, outline the list of approved food products to be served in school cafeterias. These regulations ensure that all offerings comply with the food products and requirements set forth by the School Canteen Regulations.

Once the General Authority for Food and Nutrition approves an applicant for cafeteria investment, the applicant will receive a school cafeteria license valid for the 2025/2026 academic year.