Saudi Arabia's New International Achievement for Traditional Foods: Codex Alimentarius Commission Adopts Maamoul Standard

The Codex Alimentarius Commission, during its 49th session in Geneva, has officially adopted a new food standard for “Maamoul” (a traditional date-filled cookie). The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), chaired the development of this standard within the Codex Coordinating Committee for the Near East (CCNE).

This newly adopted standard establishes unified technical requirements for Maamoul and supports the access of high-quality national products to local and global markets. This is particularly significant given that the Kingdom stands as a leading global producer of Maamoul, one of the main products driving the date-processing industries.

Maamoul is a traditional baked pastry made from flour and/or semolina dough, featuring a characteristically crumbly texture and typically filled with date paste or nuts.

The successful adoption of this standard reflects Saudi Arabia's active, ongoing contribution through the SFDA in shaping regional and international food standards and harmonizing their technical requirements. This effort enhances food product safety, facilitates trade, and fulfills the Codex core mandate of protecting public health and consumer safety.

The Kingdom previously co-chaired the Working Group for International Standard Development which adopted the first-ever international standard for fresh dates, and has held a prominent governance role as Vice-Chairperson of the Codex Alimentarius Commission since 2024.