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In a landmark move to safeguard public health and enhance food quality, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has issued a mandatory directive: All refrigerated and frozen food facilities—including factories, warehouses, and transport vehicles—must electronically link their temperature and humidity monitoring systems to the SFDA’s designated platform, “Wasl.”
This regulatory step is not just a guideline—it’s a binding obligation for businesses in the food cold chain to transition from manual logs and isolated monitoring to a fully connected, transparent, and accountable cold chain infrastructure.
Why SFDA Is Raising the Bar?
The SFDA’s mandate is a proactive response to recurring gaps in cold chain safety. Historically, the sector has struggled with:
Missed temperature deviations due to manual or delayed monitoring
Inadequate data retention for audits and accountability
Inconsistent sensor placements leading to inaccurate readings
Limited visibility into product
conditions during transport
cold chain monitoring
These issues increase the risk of product spoilage, regulatory penalties, and public health hazards. To counter this, the SFDA now demands real-time electronic monitoring, reliable data logging, and precise sensor calibration as part of nationwide compliance enforcement.
Who is Affected and What’s Required?
This mandate specifically targets facilities and vehicles involved in the storage and transport of meat, poultry, and fish. Key requirements include:
Refrigerated and frozen food manufacturers
Cold storage warehouses
Transport fleets for meat, poultry, and seafood
Motorcycle Fleet Management
Electronic Linking to “Wasl” Platform: All temperature and humidity measurement devices must be electronically connected to the SFDA’s “Wasl platform”.
Continuous Recording: Refrigeration and freezing warehouse rooms, along with transportation units, must be equipped with recorders for continuous temperature and humidity monitoring.
Data Retention: The recorded data must be preserved for a period exceeding the product’s shelf life or for a specified duration determined by relevant authorities for future reference.
Accurate Sensor Placement & Calibration: Temperature sensors must be strategically installed at various locations and heights, guided by an effective thermal map, to ensure readings accurately represent the storage and transportation area. These sensors must also be periodically calibrated and monitored. Read more https://avl-ksa.com/en/sfda-mandate-electronic-cold-chain-monitoring-now-mandatory-in-saudi-arabia/
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