Regulations are aimed at improving student health, instilling healthy eating habits
KUWAIT: The Public Authority for Food and Nutrition (PAFN) announced on Sunday the completion of accreditation procedures for companies and investors tasked with managing and operating school cafeterias for the 2025/2026 academic year. PAFN spokesperson Dr Shaima Al-Asfour told KUNA that 36 companies applied for accreditation, of which 20 were approved after meeting the requirements and conditions outlined in Ministerial Resolution No 15 of 2025 on school cafeteria regulations.
Al-Asfour said the updated regulations represent a key development project aimed at improving student health and instilling healthy eating habits in society by raising the quality and diversity of food provided in schools. She noted that the new rules strictly prohibit the sale of items harmful to students’ health, including soft drinks, energy drinks, caffeinated beverages, foods high in sugar and fats, fast food, canned noodles, processed meats, high-calorie sauces and products containing certain artificial colors and trans fats.
This academic year will also see the introduction of a new model allowing private investors to manage and operate school cafeterias under the direct supervision of the authority. “The investor, whether an individual or a company, is responsible for providing approved food items and operating cafeterias in line with health and nutrition requirements, while remaining under PAFN’s oversight,” Al-Asfour explained.
The authority stressed that accredited investors bear full responsibility for complying with the approved health and nutritional standards. This initiative, it added, falls within national efforts to combat childhood obesity and prevent non-communicable diseases, in line with the goals of sustainable development and the New Kuwait 2035 vision. — KUNA
