25-03-2025
SWEET POISON
Muscat, March 24
With Eid Al Fitr approaching, children's joy multiplies, and one of the most prominent aspects of this joy is indulging in sweets, which are considered an essential part of Eid traditions. Their happiness with sweets isn't limited to what's offered at home but rather what they buy which are often high in sugar and fats.
However, behind this high demand lies important questions regarding the safety of these products and their impact on children's health especially given the variety available and the lack of consumer awareness among some families.
Dr Hussain al Masroori, Director-General of Food Safety and Quality Centre, emphasised the crucial difference between 'safe food' and 'healthy food', pointing out that the issue doesn't lie in the type of food itself, but rather in the pattern, manner and rate of consumption.
He stated that most sweets available in Omani markets are safe in terms of food safety being free from physical, chemical and microbiological contaminants but whether they are healthy or not is a subjective matter that varies from person to person.
He explained that a person with diabetes, for instance, cannot consume the same quantity or type of sweets as a healthy individual. 'At the centre, we stress that all products entering Oman undergo inspection and comply with standard specifications, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are healthy,' he said.
Dr Al Masroori spoke about the procedures followed to ensure the safety of both imported and locally produced sweets. He explained that the Food Safety and Quality Centre is responsible for ensuring that all imported food products comply with the approved standards in the Sultanate of Oman. He noted that this task is carried out through a series of inspection and examination stages at border entry points, starting with the verification and review of accompanying documents — foremost among them the health certificate issued by the regulatory authority in the country of origin, which serves as an initial guarantee of the product's safety.
visual inspection
The procedures also include a visual inspection of the products to check transportation conditions, the accuracy of food labelling, the integrity of the packaging and the overall condition of the shipment. If any concerns or suspicions arise, a decision is made either to reject the shipment or to grant conditional release, which involves collecting samples for necessary laboratory tests. He added that the centre also relies on a risk assessment programme, which involves randomly sampling shipments even those that appear visually sound to ensure the highest levels of consumer safety.
Regarding locally produced products, he pointed to the ongoing collaboration with the municipal sector. The centre, in coordination with regulatory authorities in municipalities and the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones, monitors food establishments.
'There is continuous coordination between the food safety and quality departments across various governorates, municipal departments and the Consumer Protection Authority to conduct joint inspection campaigns that ensure the safety of products in circulation,' he said, adding that if non-compliant products are found at entry points, immediate action is taken either rejecting or destroying the products.
When buying sweets for children, Dr Al Masroori urged parents to distinguish between a safe product and a healthy one, clarifying that all products entering the Omani market or produced locally must be safe according to regulations and inspections, but that doesn't mean they are beneficial for all children from a health perspective.
He noted that some products contain high levels of sugar, calories, or oils which may not be suitable for some children, especially those with chronic illnesses or allergies. He stressed the importance of reading the nutrition label on the packaging to understand ingredients and sugar and calorie content.
natural foods
He also emphasised the importance of considering children's age-specific needs, saying: 'A three-year-old child's consumption should not match that of an older child. It's important to determine the appropriate daily or weekly amount. Eating sweets is not necessarily harmful if done in moderation, but natural foods remain the better option, especially for children,' he Alya al Kindi, an emergency medicine specialist, pointed out that excessive sweet consumption can cause health issues in children, even though they need a moderate amount of sugar as an energy source. Among the most common issues is tooth decay caused by acid buildup from bacteria. Sweets also contribute to weight gain and obesity due to their high caloric content, increasing the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.
She highlighted that high sugar intake can also weaken the immune system, cause digestive disturbances and lead to mood swings and energy crashes. Dr Alya added that excessive sugar consumption can disrupt healthy eating habits and impair calcium absorption and bone health. She also warned against certain additives like caffeine, which may cause insomnia and anxiety in children.
Dr Alya stressed the importance of educating families about the harms of excessive sweet consumption during Eid and encouraged practical steps to reduce children's intake. She advised limiting the availability of sweets at home and offering healthy alternatives like fruits and natural juices. She also underscored the importance of reading nutritional information to avoid exceeding the recommended daily sugar limit.
She emphasised the need to regulate when sweets are consumed and avoid offering them as a reward, as this reinforces psychological attachment to them. Additionally, she recommended promoting healthy behaviours such as brushing teeth after meals and staying physically active during Eid.
Regarding the ingredients used in sweets, Dr Alya advised avoiding products with harmful additives like artificial colours, sweeteners and preservatives — including tartrazine, aspartame, sodium benzoate and hydrogenated fats — due to their potentially negative effects on children's health. She noted that the maximum recommended sugar intake for children aged 2 to 18 should not exceed 25 grammes per day, but recent studies have shown that over 81 per cent of children exceed this limit, raising concerns about early-onset obesity and increased body mass index.
When buying sweets for children, parents need to distinguish between a safe product and a healthy one. All products entering the Omani market or produced locally must be safe according to inspections regulation, but that doesn't mean they are beneficial for all children from a health perspective.
