Overview of Food Safety and Labeling Regulatory Frameworks in Morocco

Samya Boulaajine; Hassan Hajjaj

doi:10.51745/najfnr.9.20.96-111

Overview of Food Safety and Labeling Regulatory Frameworks in Morocco

PDF (Full text)

Food Chemistry, Engineering, Processing and Packaging Public Health Nutrition Policy & Economics

DOI https://doi.org/10.51745/najfnr.9.20.96-111

Issue Vol. 9 No. 20 (2025): July - December, 2025

Submitted 2024-12-17

Accepted 2025-07-21

Published 2025-08-12

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made.
No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.

Background: Food fraud and mislabeling pose substantial risks to consumer health, economic integrity, and public trust in the food supply chain. In Morocco, the increasing consumption of processed foods and the prevalence of informal markets further exacerbate the threats associated with food labeling violations.

Aims: This review aims to assess the current state of food labeling and safety regulation in Morocco. A central focus is to analyze the role and effectiveness of the National Office for Food Safety (ONSSA) in monitoring and enforcing these labeling standards.

Methods: A documentary research approach was employed, involving a comprehensive review of scientific literature, including peer-reviewed articles, as well as official reports and regulatory texts with a particular emphasis on Moroccan legal frameworks.

Results: Morocco has achieved notable progress in regulating food labeling, particularly through the implementation of Decree No. 2–12–389 and the inspection efforts of the ONSSA. However, significant enforcement challenges persist, especially in informal markets and in addressing ambiguous health claims. Annually, a considerable volume of food is seized due to labeling violations. Further progress is hindered by the lack of widespread front-of-pack labeling and inconsistencies in relation to existing regulations.

Conclusions: While Morocco has successfully strengthened its food labeling infrastructure, further improvements are necessary. Enhancing regulatory clarity, expanding producer education, and promoting consumer awareness—particularly through tools such as front-of-pack labeling—are essential for advancing food safety and public health. Greater alignment with international standards and the adoption of digital traceability systems will further support the modernization of Morocco's food system.

Keywords

Food products Labeling Claims Fraud Control Safety

Samya Boulaajine

Moulay Ismail University Faculty of Sciences Meknes Laboratory of Biotechnology and Bioresources Valorization BP 11201, Zitoune, Meknes
Hassan Hajjaj

Moulay Ismail University Cluster of Competency «Agri-food, Safety and Security» IUC VLIR-UOS Marjane 2, BP 298, Meknes

PDF (Full text)

How to Cite

Overview of Food Safety and Labeling Regulatory Frameworks in Morocco. (2025). The North African Journal of Food and Nutrition Research, 9(20), 96-111. https://doi.org/10.51745/najfnr.9.20.96-111

More Citation Formats

Download Citation

Ait Hou, M., Grazia, C., & Malorgio, G. (2015). Food safety standards and international supply chain organization: A case study of the Moroccan fruit and vegetable exports. Food Control, 55, 190–199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2015.02.023

Al-Jawaldeh, A., Taktouk, M., Chatila, A., Naalbandian, S., Abdollahi, Z., Ajlan, B., Al Hamad, N., Alkhalaf, M. M., Almamary, S., Alobaid, R., Alyafei, S. A., Azizi, M. H., Baqadir, N. M., Barham, R., Binsunaid, F. F., El Ammari, L., El Ati, J., Hoteit, M., Massad, H., … Nasreddine, L. (2021). A Systematic Review of Trans Fat Reduction Initiatives in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Frontiers in Nutrition, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.771492

Allali, F. (2017). Nutrition Transition in Morocco. Integrative Journal of Medical Sciences, 4, 70–73. https://doi.org/10.15342/ijms.v4is.145

Bakhtavoryan, R., Poghosyan, A., Lopez, J. A., & Ogunc, A. (2019). An empirical analysis of household demand for organic and conventional flour in the United States: Evidence from the 2014 Nielsen Homescan data. https://doi.org/10.22004/AG.ECON.302412

Bandara, B. E. S., De Silva, D. A. M., Maduwanthi, B. C. H., & Warunasinghe, W. A. A. I. (2016). Impact of Food Labeling Information on Consumer Purchasing Decision: With Special Reference to Faculty of Agricultural Sciences. Procedia Food Science, 6, 309–313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profoo.2016.02.061

Borma, A. (2018). Food Fraud – An Out Of Control Phenomenon. SEA–Practical Application of Science, 221–227.

Brooks, C., Parr, L., Smith, J. M., Buchanan, D., Snioch, D., & Hebishy, E. (2021). A review of food fraud and food authenticity across the food supply chain, with an examination of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit on food industry. Food Control, 130(January), 108171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2021.108171

Bröring, S., & Khedkar, S. (2018). Regulatory Compliance and Company Strategies: The Case of the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation (EC) No. 1924/2006. In H. Bremmers & K. Purnhagen (Eds.), Regulating and Managing Food Safety in the EU: A Legal-Economic Perspective (pp. 105–128). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77045-1_6

Cattaneo, I., Astuto, M. C., Binaglia, M., Devos, Y., Dorne, J. L. C. M., Fernandez Agudo, A., Fernandez Dumont, A., Garcia-Vello, P., Kass, G. E. N., Lanzoni, A., Liem, A. K. D., Panzarea, M., Paraskevopulos, K., Parra Morte, J. M., Tarazona, J. V., & Terron, A. (2023). Implementing New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) in food safety assessments: Strategic objectives and actions taken by the European Food Safety Authority. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 133, 277–290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2023.02.006

Chammem, N., Issaoui, M., De Almeida, A. I. D., & Delgado, A. M. (2018). Food crises and food safety incidents in European union, United States, and Maghreb area: Current risk communication strategies and new approaches. Journal of AOAC International, 101(4), 923–938. https://doi.org/10.5740/jaoacint.17-0446

Cheftel, J. C. (2005). Food and nutrition labelling in the European Union. Food Chemistry, 93(3), 531–550. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2004.11.041

Codron, J.-M., Adanacioğlu, H., Aubert, M., Bouhsina, Z., El Mekki, A. A., Rousset, S., Tozanli, S., & Yercan, M. (2014). The role of market forces and food safety institutions in the adoption of sustainable farming practices: The case of the fresh tomato export sector in Morocco and Turkey. Food Policy, 49, 268–280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2014.09.006

Conway, É. (2011). Étiquetage obligatoire de l’origine des produits au bénéfice des consommateurs: Portée et limites. Quebec Journal of International Law, 24(2), 1–51. https://doi.org/10.7202/1068279ar

Czine, P., Török, Á., Pető, K., Horváth, P., & Balogh, P. (2020). The Impact of the Food Labeling and Other Factors on Consumer Preferences Using Discrete Choice Modeling—The Example of Traditional Pork Sausage. Nutrients, 12(6), 1768. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12061768

Decree No. 2-12-389 of 11 Joumada II 1434 (April 22, 2013) fixing the conditions and procedures for the labelling of food products (2013). https://www.onssa.gov.ma/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/DEC.2-12-389.FR.c2.pdf

Domínguez Díaz, L., Fernández-Ruiz, V., & Cámara, M. (2020). An international regulatory review of food health-related claims in functional food products labeling. Journal of Functional Foods, 68(December 2019), 103896. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2020.103896

European Parliament. (2014). Report on the food crisis, fraud in the food chain, and and the control thereof (2013/2091(INI)). Report - A7-0434/2013

Galvez, J. F., Mejuto, J. C., & Simal-Gandara, J. (2018). Future challenges on the use of blockchain for food traceability analysis. Trends in Analytical Chemistry: TRAC, 107, 222–232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2018.08.011

Guennouni, M., Admou, B., El Khoudri, N., Bourrouhouat, A., Machraoui, S., Jasny, E. K., & Hilali, A. (2022). Allergen’s labeling of food products: Regulatory practices in Morocco. British Food Journal, 124(12), 4188–4199. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-05-2021-0533

Gussow, K. E., & Mariët, A. (2022). The scope of food fraud revisited. Crime, Law and Social Change, 78(5), 621–642. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10611-022-10055-w

Hall, D. C., & Johnson-Hall, T. D. (2021). The value of downstream traceability in food safety management systems: An empirical examination of product recalls. Operations Management Research, 14(1–2), 61–77. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12063-021-00184-1

Han, Q., Erasmus, S. W., Elliott, C. T., & van Ruth, S. M. (2022). A sense of ginger fraud: prevalence and deconstruction of the China-European union supply chain. Npj Science of Food, 6(1), 51. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41538-022-00166-y

Huck, C. W., Pezzei, C. K., & Huck-Pezzei, V. A. (2016). An industry perspective of food fraud. Current Opinion in Food Science, 10, 32–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cofs.2016.07.004

Ikonen, I., Sotgiu, F., Aydinli, A., & Verlegh, P. W. J. (2020). Consumer effects of front-of-package nutrition labeling: An interdisciplinary meta-analysis. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 48(3), 360–383. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-019-00663-9

Joint Order No. 1289-22. Joint Order of the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests and the Minister of Health and Social Protection No. 1289-22 of 9 Chaoual 1443 (May 10, 2022) establishing the list of microbiologically very perishable products, their expiration date and their storage temperature. https://www.onssa.gov.ma/wp-content/uploads/Reglementation/R%C3%A9glementation%20Transversale/Conformit%C3%A9%20des%20Produits/Etiquetage/ARR.1289-22.FR.pdf

Joint Order No. 281-16. Joint Order of the Minister of Agriculture and Maritime Fisheries and the Minister of Health No. 281-16 of 21 Rabii II 1437 (February 1, 2016), setting up the requirements and methods for the inclusion of nutritional information in the labels of prepackaged food products. (2016). https://www.onssa.gov.ma/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Reglementation/A.Reglementation-Transversale/4.%20Conformite-des-Produits/4.1.%20Etiquetage/ARR.281-16.FR.pdf

Jones, A., Neal, B., Reeve, B., Ni Mhurchu, C., & Thow, A. M. (2019). Front-of-pack nutrition labelling to promote healthier diets: current practice and opportunities to strengthen regulation worldwide. BMJ Global Health, 4(6), e001882. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2019-001882

Kaoutar, K., Chetoui, A., Boutahar, K., Moussaoui, S. E., Kardoudi, A. E., Chigr, F., & Najimi, M. (2022). Nutritional status in Morocco. (IJRE) International Journal of Research and Ethics (ISSN 2665-7481), 5(2), Article 2. https://doi.org/10.51766/ijre.v5i2.172

Kendall, H., Clark, B., Rhymer, C., Kuznesof, S., Hajslova, J., Tomaniova, M., Brereton, P., & Frewer, L. (2019). A systematic review of consumer perceptions of food fraud and authenticity: A European perspective. Trends in Food Science and Technology, 94(October), 79–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2019.10.005

Khalis, M., Garcia-Larsen, V., Charaka, H., Sidi Deoula, M. M., El Kinany, K., Benslimane, A., Charbotel, B., Soliman, A. S., Huybrechts, I., Soliman, G. A., Slimani, N., & El Rhazi, K. (2020). Update of the Moroccan food composition tables: Towards a more reliable tool for nutrition research. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 87, 103397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2019.103397

Kramer, C. S., & Caswell, J. A. (2019). Food quality: Safety, nutrition, and labeling. In Food, Agriculture, and Rural Policy into the Twenty-First Century (pp. 167–183). CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/9780429041716-10

Law No. 13-83 on the prevention of fraud on goods, promulgated by the Dahir No 1-83-108 of 9 Mouharram 1405 (5 October 1984), 152 (1984). https://www.onssa.gov.ma/wp-content/uploads/Reglementation/R%C3%A9glementation%20Transversale/Surveillance%20et%20Contr%C3%B4le%20Sanitaire/R%C3%A9pression%20des%20Fraudes/LOI.13-83.FR.pdf

Law No. 25-06 relating to distinctive signs of origin and quality of alimentary commodity and agricultural products and halieutic promulgated by Dahir N°1-08-56 of 17 Joumada I 1429 (23 May 2008), 394 (2008). https://www.onssa.gov.ma/wp-content/uploads/Reglementation/R%C3%A9glementation%20Connexe/Signes%20Distinctifs%20d'Origine%20et%20de%20Qualit%C3%A9/LOI.25-06.FR.c1.pdf

Law No. 25-08 establishing the National Office for Food Safety, promulgated by Dahir No. 1-09-20 of 22 Safar 1430 (February 18, 2009), 358 (2009). https://www.onssa.gov.ma/wp-content/uploads/Reglementation/R%C3%A9glementation%20Transversale/Missions%20et%20Attributions%20de%20l%E2%80%99ONSSA/LOI.25-08.FR.pdf

Law No. 28-07 on the safety of food products, promulgated by the Dahir No. 1-10-08 of 26 Safar 1431 (11 February 2010), 214 (2010). https://www.onssa.gov.ma/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Reglementation/A.Reglementation-Transversale/3.%20Securite-Sanitaire/3.1.%20S%C3%A9curit%C3%A9%20Sanitaire%20des%20Produits%20Alimentaires/LOI.28-07.FR.pdf

Law No. 39-12 relating to the biologic production of agricultural products and aquatic, promulgated by Dahir N°1-12-66 of 4 Rabii I 1434 (16 January 2013), 1338 (2013). https://www.onssa.gov.ma/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Reglementation/C.Reglementation-Connexe/2.%20Agriculture%20Biologique/LOI.39-12.FR.pdf

Laying Down the Technical Terms of Designation of Ingredients in the Labelling of Food Products. https://www.onssa.gov.ma/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/ARR.2037-16.FR.pdf

Lharoual, M., Ouatat, A., El Moussaoui, T., & Chatoui, H. (2022). Food security, legislation, and regulations: Reading of law relating to food safety in morocco. In Nutrition and Human Health (pp. 101–110). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-93971-7_8

Mackey, M. A., & Metz, M. (2009). Ease of reading of mandatory information on Canadian food product labels. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 33(4), 369–381. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1470-6431.2009.00787.x

Mick, D. G., Pettigrew, S., Pechmann, C., & Ozanne, J. L. (Eds.). (2019). Transformative consumer research for personal and collective well-being. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203813256

Muzzioli, L., Penzavecchia, C., Donini, L. M., & Pinto, A. (2022). Are Front-of-Pack Labels a Health Policy Tool? Nutrients, 14(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14040771

ONSSA. (2020). Press release 1/2020: Review of the control activities carried out by ONSSA for the year 2019.

ONSSA. (2025). Sanitary control and compliance of plant-based and plant-origin products. National Office for Food Safety (ONSSA). Retrieved July 12, 2025, from https://www.onssa.gov.ma/controle-des-produits-alimentaires/produits-vegetaux-et-d-origine-vegetale/controle-sanitaire-et-de-conformite/

Onyeaka, H., Ukwuru, M., Anumudu, C., & Anyogu, A. (2022). Food fraud in insecure times: Challenges and opportunities for reducing food fraud in Africa. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 125, 26–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2022.04.017

Order of the Minister of Agriculture and Maritime Fisheries No. 1379-10 of 29 Chaabane 1431 (August 11, 2010) on Products Exempted From Certain Mandatory Labelling Requirements. (2010). https://www.onssa.gov.ma/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Reglementation/A.Reglementation-Transversale/4.%20Conformite-des-Produits/4.1.%20Etiquetage/ARR.1379-10.FR.pdf

Order of the Minister of Agriculture and Maritime Fisheries No. 2037-16 of 7 Chaoual 1437 (July 12, 2016)

Order of the Minister of Agriculture and Maritime Fisheries No. 3871-15 of 8 Safar 1437 (November 20, 2015)

Owusu-Apenten, R., & Vieira, E. (2023). Food Regulatory Agencies. In Elementary Food Science (pp. 57–79). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65433-7_3

Paciello, M. C. (2015). Building Sustainable Agriculture for Food Security in the Euro-Mediterranean Area: Challenges and Policy Options. Edizioni Nuova cultura.

Prashar, D., Jha, N., Jha, S., Lee, Y., & Joshi, G. P. (2020). Blockchain-Based Traceability and Visibility for Agricultural Products: A Decentralized Way of Ensuring Food Safety in India. Sustainability, 12(8), 3497. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12083497

Public Law n° 101-535. (1990). The nutrition labeling and education act of 1990.

Regulation—1924/2006—EN - EUR-Lex. (2006). Retrieved May 14, 2025, from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2006/1924/oj

Robson, K., Dean, M., Haughey, S., & Elliott, C. (2021). A comprehensive review of food fraud terminologies and food fraud mitigation guides. Food Control, 120, 107516. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2020.107516

Samiee, S. (1994). Customer Evaluation of Products in a Global Market. Journal of International Business Studies, 25(3), 579–604. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8490213

Shrestha, A., Cullerton, K., White, K. M., Mays, J., & Sendall, M. (2023). Impact of front-of-pack nutrition labelling in consumer understanding and use across socio-economic status: A systematic review. Appetite, 187, 106587. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2023.106587

Spink, J. W. (2019). The current state of food fraud prevention: overview and requirements to address ‘How to Start?’ and ‘How Much is Enough?’ Current Opinion in Food Science, 27, 130–138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cofs.2019.06.001

Spink, J., & Moyer, D. C. (2011). Defining the Public Health Threat of Food Fraud. Journal of Food Science, 76(9). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2011.02417.x

Spink, J., Bedard, B., Keogh, J., Moyer, D. C., Scimeca, J., & Vasan, A. (2019). International Survey of Food Fraud and Related Terminology: Preliminary Results and Discussion. Journal of Food Science, 84(10), 2705–2718. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.14705

Spink, J., Singh, J., & Singh, S. P. (2011). Review of Package Warning Labels and Their Effect on Consumer Behaviour with Insights to Future Anticounterfeit Strategy of Label and Communication Systems. Packaging Technology and Science, 24(8), 469–484. https://doi.org/10.1002/pts.947

Van Der Bend, D., & Lissner, L. (2019). Differences and Similarities between Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labels in Europe: A Comparison of Functional and Visual Aspects. Nutrients, 11(3), 626. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11030626

Walker, B. D. (2017). Impact of carcass chill time on the microbiology of horse meat. University of Alberta Library. https://doi.org/10.7939/R3X63BK25

Wheatley, V. M., & Spink, J. (2013). Defining the Public Health Threat of Dietary Supplement Fraud. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 12(6), 599–613. https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.12033

Wilczek, M. M., Olszewski, R., & Krupienicz, A. (2017). Trans-Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease: Urgent Need for Legislation. Cardiology, 138(4), 254–258. https://doi.org/10.1159/000479956

More

Overview of Food Safety and Labeling Regulatory Frameworks in Morocco

Keywords

How to Cite

Similar Articles

Downloads 819

Views 823

Country (Top 10)

Make a Submission

JournalIssue

Keywords

Browse by Category

Information

Highly Accessed

Published by

Useful Links

Connect

Contact Us