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| Last updated on 01 August 2024 | | Last updated on 01 August 2024 |
| {{#drawio:UK|max-width=650px}} | | {{#drawio:UK|max-width=650px}} |
| | ''© worldfoodsafetyalmanac.bfr.berlin'' |
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| The Food Safety Act of 1990 provides the legislative framework for food law in Great Britain. The UK retained harmonised EU food law UK when it exited the EU; this legislation has since been assimilated into UK law and provides the main body of food law, along with the domestic implementing instruments that were also assimilated. Assimilated Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002, assimilated Regulation (EU) 852/2004 and assimilated Regulation 853/2004 are important regulations that deal with food safety and hygiene. The Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 provide for executing powers enforcement of these regulations and some specific national requirements. Parallel legislation applies in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Food and feed safety and standards are devolved matters in the UK with separate regulations in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, with the respective food safety authorities providing advice to Ministers with a shared aim | | The Food Safety Act of 1990 provides the legislative framework for food law in Great Britain. The UK retained harmonised EU food law UK when it exited the EU; this legislation has since been assimilated into UK law and provides the main body of food law, along with the domestic implementing instruments that were also assimilated. Assimilated Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002, assimilated Regulation (EU) 852/2004 and assimilated Regulation 853/2004 are important regulations that deal with food safety and hygiene. The Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 provide for executing powers enforcement of these regulations and some specific national requirements. Parallel legislation applies in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Food and feed safety and standards are devolved matters in the UK with separate regulations in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, with the respective food safety authorities providing advice to Ministers with a shared aim |
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| Risk assessment, communication, and management are not institutionally separated in the UK. Risk assessments are published on the Internet unless statutory provisions prohibit this. | | Risk assessment, communication, and management are not institutionally separated in the UK. Risk assessments are published on the Internet unless statutory provisions prohibit this. |
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| == Food Standards Agency == | | == Food Standards Agency == |
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| |} | | |} |
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| The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is the central authority in the field of food safety in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It is an independent non-ministerial Government Department governed by an independent Chair and non-executive Board responsible for the overall strategic direction of the organisation and for ensuring it meets its legal obligations. The FSA is accountable to the UK Parliament in Westminster, the Northern Ireland Assembly, and the Welsh Parliament through Health Ministers. | | The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is the central authority in the field of food safety in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It is an independent non-ministerial Government Department governed by an independent Chair and non-executive [https://www.food.gov.uk/about-us/members-of-the-fsa-board-including-attendances-engagements-and-expenses Board] responsible for the overall strategic direction of the organisation and for ensuring it meets its legal obligations. The FSA is accountable to the UK Parliament in Westminster, the Northern Ireland Assembly, and the Welsh Parliament through Health Ministers. |
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| The FSA's main objectives in law are to protect public health from risks arising from the consumption of food and generally to protect the interests of consumers in relation to food. This includes providing information and advice to the public in connection with food safety, commissioning or coordinating research in science on such matters and supervising the safety of animal feed and other interests of users of animal feed. | | The FSA's main objectives in law are to protect public health from risks arising from the consumption of food and generally to protect the interests of consumers in relation to food. This includes providing information and advice to the public in connection with food safety, commissioning or coordinating research in science on such matters and supervising the safety of animal feed and other interests of users of animal feed. |
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| FSA statutory powers include the power to carry out observations of this activity, monitor the performance of enforcing the applicable legislation by the relevant enforcement authority, issue guidance on control of foodborne disease and anything which facilitates the exercise of the FSA statutory function. | | FSA statutory powers include the power to carry out observations of this activity, monitor the performance of enforcing the applicable legislation by the relevant enforcement authority, issue guidance on control of foodborne disease and anything which facilitates the exercise of the FSA statutory function. |
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| The FSA receives information and independent advice from its expert scientific advisory committees. The FSA normally publishes risk assessments on its website, and the main policy issues are decided in public by the FSA Board in open session in the light of scientific and other evidence. The FSA advises the UK, Wales, and Northern Ireland governments. | | The FSA receives information and independent advice from its [https://www.food.gov.uk/about-us/scientific-advisory-committees expert scientific advisory committees]. The FSA normally publishes risk assessments on its website, and the main policy issues are decided in public by the FSA Board [https://www.food.gov.uk/about-us/fsa-board-meetings in open session] in the light of scientific and other evidence. The FSA advises the UK, Wales, and Northern Ireland governments. |
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| The FSA mission is ‘food you can trust’, and its vision for the food system is one in which: | | The FSA mission is ‘food you can trust’, and its vision for the food system is one in which: |
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| The FSA is also responsible for designating the official laboratories that carry out important chemical and compositional analyses on food and feed samples taken by local authorities or port health authorities. We do not own or operate any of these laboratories. | | The FSA is also responsible for designating the official laboratories that carry out important chemical and compositional analyses on food and feed samples taken by local authorities or port health authorities. We do not own or operate any of these laboratories. |
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| The FSA has posted a list of official laboratories in Great Britain and Northern Ireland that are designated to undertake sample analysis work. | | The FSA has posted a [https://www.food.gov.uk/about-us/feed-and-food-official-laboratories list] of official laboratories in Great Britain and Northern Ireland that are designated to undertake sample analysis work. |
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| == Food Standards Scotland == | | == Food Standards Scotland == |
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| == Regional and local levels == | | == Regional and local levels == |
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| The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is the central authority in the field of food safety in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It is an independent non-ministerial Government Department governed by an independent Chair and non-executive Board responsible for the overall strategic direction of the organisation and for ensuring it meets its legal obligations. The FSA is accountable to the UK Parliament in Westminster, the Northern Ireland Assembly, and the Welsh Parliament through Health Ministers. | | The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is the central authority in the field of food safety in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It is an independent non-ministerial Government Department governed by an independent Chair and non-executive [https://www.food.gov.uk/about-us/members-of-the-fsa-board-including-attendances-engagements-and-expenses Board] responsible for the overall strategic direction of the organisation and for ensuring it meets its legal obligations. The FSA is accountable to the UK Parliament in Westminster, the Northern Ireland Assembly, and the Welsh Parliament through Health Ministers. |
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| Food businesses are responsible for making sure the food they produce, and supply is safe and is what it says it is, much of the FSA’s work is aimed at supporting the system. The FSA is one of three key lines of defence in the food system in England, Wales and Northern Ireland: | | Food businesses are responsible for making sure the food they produce, and supply is safe and is what it says it is, much of the FSA’s work is aimed at supporting the system. The FSA is one of three key lines of defence in the food system in England, Wales and Northern Ireland: |
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| # Food businesses have primary responsibility for keeping the public protected. Businesses must have the right knowledge and controls in place to ensure the food they produce, sell and import is safe and authentic. | | # Food businesses have primary responsibility for keeping the public protected. Businesses must have the right knowledge and controls in place to ensure the food they produce, sell and import is safe and authentic. |
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| # Local Authorities (LAs) across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are responsible for enforcing food safety and food standards. They must determine how risky businesses are and therefore how frequently they should inspect them. | | # Local Authorities (LAs) across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are responsible for enforcing food safety and food standards. They must determine how risky businesses are and therefore how frequently they should inspect them. |
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| # The FSA provides a backstop for these protections, acting as the national regulator for food. This happens through monitoring and auditing LA performance. | | # The FSA provides a backstop for these protections, acting as the national regulator for food. This happens through monitoring and auditing LA performance. |
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