Thursday 28 / November / 2024
Muscat: Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion calls on Omani Halwa manufacturers to adhere to the standard specification in the manufacture, packaging and serving of halwa to preserve the health and safety of the consumers as they are witnessing a great demand before Eid Al Adha.
The Ministry calls on the owners of factories and Omani Halwa shops to adhere to the precautionary measures and organise the shopping process for consumers, with the aim of limiting the spread of COVID-19, stressing that all workers must maintain cleanliness and adhere to the health rules in personal hygiene and handwashing. In addition, they should also wear a mask and maintain social distancing.
The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion confirmed that production is carried out in accordance with the health requirements in the Omani-Gulf Standard Specification No. (21). All surfaces in contact with food should be non-toxic, must be corrosion resistant, withstand repeated washing and disinfection, should be smooth and free of pits, cracks and paint flakes. Workers must wear gloves and head and face coverings to prevent any contamination of the food.
The ministry indicated that these conditions must be observed when producing Omani Halwa to achieve conformity: the raw materials used in manufacturing must conform to their own standard specifications, be free from colouring and preservative materials except for the colour resulting from adding saffron, and that it shall be free of pork derivatives, and it is not permissible to use frankincense, honey, figs, sesame and any other ingredient except those mentioned in the standard specification No. (1635) for Omani Halwa, and not to use any sweetening substance except white sugar, brown sugar and date molasses, and it must be free from mineral oils and any other sweeteners. Vegetable oils or animal fats other than animal ghee is not permissible, and also it is not permitted to use any of the nuts except shelled almonds and shelled nuts.
In addition, the starch used should be derived from wheat, cardamom, rose water and saffron should be used according to the quality of the dessert.
The Ministry confirms that the product must be packed in suitable, clean, dry, healthy containers that can be sealed tightly so as not to lead to any contamination or changes in the properties of the product and that when packaging or covering halwa packages, it should be taken into account that they are not hot so that water vapour does not condense inside and cause rapid spoilage.
MoCIIP pointed out that there are unified Omani and Gulf standards for the requirements related to food packaging, such as specification No. 839 related to food packaging. Part One: General requirements and Specification No. 1863 related to food packaging. Part Two: Plastic packages. General requirements that food manufacturers must be followed during the packing process and one of the most important of these requirements is that these packages do not cause any risks to the health of the consumer and that they do not lead to a deterioration in the sensory characteristics of the packed food or undesirable changes in the nature and quality of the food and that the dyes, colourings and other ingredients used in its formation. Its manufacture is non-toxic and does not react with food.
"And that the package is not affected by heat during packing, sealing, storing, transporting or handling, which may lead to deformation, change its composition and chemical and natural properties, or increase the possibilities of interactions and migration of monomers or additives except within the permissible limits and other requirements," MoCIIP added.
