Peanut products banned at Saudi primary schools

Cairo: Education authorities in Saudi Arabia have banned the availability of all peanut products at canteens of primary schools in the country on health grounds, a local newspaper has reported.

The Education Ministry has issued a circular based on a report of a joint committee with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority and the Health Ministry stipulating health recommendations for school food items, news portal Ajel added, citing unidentified sources.

These recommendations ban dealing in all peanut products at canteens of the primary school stage because they pose health perils to sufferers of the peanut allergy.

The ministry’s circular points out that the schoolchildren suffering from this type of allergy at this stage may not be able to differentiate the products containing peanuts or be aware of dangers resulting from eating them unlike students at the educational intermediate and secondary stages, the sources added.