Compliant Always
Get in touch

Selling kitchenware and food contact articles in Saudi Arabia

In Saudi Arabia, kitchen tools and equipment that touch food meet the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) Technical Regulation for Food Safety of Tools and Appliances Used in the Kitchen. They must stay within the migration limits of the listed standards, carry the food contact symbol and Arabic labels, and need a Type 3 certificate.

Updated · Each section links to the official source it comes from

Regulation
SASO Technical Regulation for Food Safety of Tools and Appliances Used in the Kitchen
Scope
Tools and equipment for preparing, serving and storing food
Label language
Arabic, or Arabic and English
Marking
Food contact symbol (Annex 3) and a QR code for traceability
Conformity
Type 3 certificate from a SASO-accepted body
Technical file
Supplier's declaration and a risk assessment

Before a product goes on sale

The questions to answer, in the order they usually come up.

  1. 1Is it a tool or piece of equipment that touches, or may touch, food in the kitchen? Read more
  2. 2Are the materials, inks and paints within the migration limits of the listed standards? Read more
  3. 3Does the label carry the food contact symbol, warnings, a QR code and Arabic? Read more
  4. 4Is there a Type 3 certificate and a technical file? Read more

The rules, by area

What each area covers, the texts that set it, and what the official pages say.

Scope

What the regulation covers.

  • The regulation was adopted by SASO's Board at meeting No. (171) on 20 June 2019, published in the Official Gazette on 2 August 2019, and amended by a decision published on 22 January 2021.
  • It applies to tools and equipment that are in contact with food, or can reasonably be brought into contact with it under normal or foreseeable use, and that are used for preparing, serving and storing food in the kitchen, as listed in Annex 2.
  • Annex 1 lists the materials covered, including ceramics, glass, metals and alloys, paper and board, plastics, rubber, silicone, wood, printing inks, and varnish and paint.
  • Annex 2 lists the standards that apply, such as SFDA.FD GSO 2231 on food contact materials, SASO 671 on melamine tableware and the SASO-ISO 8442 series on cutlery and tableware.

How we help: Compliant Always reads the product's materials and use against the regulation's scope and the standards in Annex 2 that apply to it. Ask about this

Materials, migration and packaging

The essential requirements for food contact tools and equipment.

  • Tools and equipment are made under good manufacturing practice so that they do not transfer constituents to food in quantities that could endanger health or change the food unacceptably.
  • Constituents may not pass into food beyond the migration limits in the relevant standards.
  • A clear description of the materials and compositions used is provided; raw materials are of known origin and composition, and the raw material manufacturer's data is available to the authorities on request.
  • Paints and inks for decoration are permitted for food use, placed as far as possible from the food contact surface, and backed by a risk assessment of the substances used.
  • Packaging is free of lead and heavy metals above the limits; plastic containers carry the recycling symbol, and packaging carries the biodegradable plastic logo under the relevant regulation.

How we help: Upload a migration test report or declaration and Compliant Always reads it against the limits in the standards that apply, and keeps it with the product. Ask about this

Labelling

What the label on a kitchen product shows.

  • Labels include the food contact symbol in Annex 3, or another emblem SASO has accepted for the purpose.
  • Labels include warnings and instructions for use, in a clear font that is difficult to remove.
  • Labels are written in Arabic, or in both Arabic and English.
  • Labels carry a QR code so that the product can be traced.
  • Information on the label is correct and proven scientifically and by laboratories; images and phrases must not breach public law, morals or Islamic values.

How we help: Upload the packaging artwork and Compliant Always reads it for the food contact symbol, warnings, QR code and Arabic text the regulation requires. Ask about this

Conformity assessment and SABER

The certificate and technical file the supplier needs.

  • The supplier responsible for placing the product on the market obtains a certificate of conformity from a SASO-accepted body under Type 3 (ISO/IEC 17067).
  • The product is accompanied by a technical file with the supplier's declaration of conformity and a risk assessment.
  • The supplier gives the technical file and certificates to the regulatory and market surveillance authorities on request.
  • Certificates are registered in SABER, which issues a shipment certificate for each consignment.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the certificate, declaration and risk assessment with the product and lot, and shows which are due to expire. Ask about this

Who answers for what

WhoWhat they answer forHow we help
Supplier (manufacturer or importer)The Type 3 certificate, the technical file, and giving documents to the authorities on request.Certificates and declarations kept together, with expiry dates shown.
ManufacturerMaterials of known origin, good manufacturing practice and migration within the limits.Test reports read against the standards, ready for a supplier's questionnaire.
BrandA label with the food contact symbol, warnings, a QR code and Arabic text.The artwork read against the label requirements, with the gaps shown.

Questions businesses ask

Which regulation covers kitchenware in Saudi Arabia?
SASO's Technical Regulation for Food Safety of Tools and Appliances Used in the Kitchen, published in the Official Gazette on 2 August 2019 and amended in January 2021.
What kitchen products does the Saudi regulation cover?
Tools and equipment that touch, or can reasonably touch, food and are used to prepare, serve or store it in the kitchen, as listed in its Annex 2.
Must kitchenware labels be in Arabic in Saudi Arabia?
Labels are written in Arabic, or in both Arabic and English.
Does kitchenware need a food contact symbol in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. Labels include the symbol in Annex 3 of the regulation, or another emblem SASO has accepted for the purpose.
Do kitchen products need a QR code in Saudi Arabia?
The regulation requires labels that allow the product to be traced, by QR code.
What certificate does kitchenware need in Saudi Arabia?
A certificate of conformity under Type 3 (ISO/IEC 17067) from a SASO-accepted body, with a technical file holding the supplier's declaration and a risk assessment.
Which materials are covered by the Saudi kitchen regulation?
Annex 1 lists materials including ceramics, glass, metals and alloys, paper and board, plastics, rubber, silicone, wood, printing inks and varnish.
Are there migration limits for food contact articles in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. Constituents may not pass into food beyond the migration limits in the standards listed in the regulation, such as SFDA.FD GSO 2231 and SASO 671.
Are there rules for decorated tableware in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. Paints and inks are permitted for food use, kept as far as possible from the food contact surface, and backed by a risk assessment. SASO-ISO 4531 covers lead and cadmium release.
Who answers for kitchenware conformity in Saudi Arabia?
The supplier responsible for placing it on the market, whether manufacturer or importer, which holds the certificate and technical file.
How does Compliant Always help with selling in Saudi Arabia?
Our team reads the rules for the markets you sell in, including SFDA and SASO requirements. Compliant Always shows which apply to your product, keeps the documents behind each one ready, and watches the sources for changes. It shows what the requirements say and what your documents show; you decide.

Sources

Compliant Always is a product of Lettuce Labs LLC. It shows what requirements say and what your documents show. It is not legal advice, and you decide.

Tell us what you make, and we will show you the rules for it.

Name the product and the markets you sell in. We will come back to you with what applies in Saudi Arabia and what your paperwork needs to show.

Get in touch

No card, no account, and no call to book. Tell us what you make and where you sell it, and we will come back to you.

Get in touch