Geneva: The Codex Alimentarius Commission, at its 49th session in Geneva, adopted a food standard for maamoul, which Saudi Arabia, represented by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), chaired and led the drafting of through the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Near East.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the adoption of the standard will help unify the technical requirements for maamoul and support the entry of high-quality Saudi products into regional and international markets. Saudi Arabia is among the leading producers of maamoul, which is considered one of the products supporting the date-processing industry.
Maamoul is a baked product made from flour or semolina dough and is typically filled with date paste or nuts.
The adoption builds on Saudi Arabia's continued contribution, through the SFDA, to developing regional and international food standards and harmonizing their technical requirements, thereby enhancing food safety, facilitating trade, and supporting the authority's consumer protection objectives.
Saudi Arabia previously co-chaired the international working group responsible for developing the first international standard for fresh dates and has served as vice-chair of the Codex Alimentarius Commission since 2024.