Ireland is to change who conducts certain official food controls to make the most of available resources.
Official controls currently undertaken by the Local Authority Veterinary Service (LAVS) will be transferred to the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine (DAFM). The transition is expected to be completed in quarter
Continue Reading Ireland plans official control changes, issues raw bean warning
Findings from the testing of food products for authenticity, contaminants, and allergens have been published by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
The survey is targeted to areas of potential risk and where sampling is needed to inform FSA policy and science. It took place in October 2022 and included products
Continue Reading FSA survey assesses food product compliance
According to the Scottish food agency’s annual report, a challenging economic climate has led to tough decisions about work priorities.
Food Standards Scotland (FSS) mentioned the knock-on effects of leaving the European Union and a prioritization exercise following a reduced budget. The agency also flagged the “huge amount of already
Continue Reading Resource pressures force Food Standards Scotland to refocus
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has expressed concern that local authorities do not have the resources to deliver food controls.
Local authorities are responsible for enforcing compliance with food safety and standards legislation for food businesses. The FSA monitors and reports on their performance but does not decide how they are funded.
Continue Reading FSA is concerned about the lack of local authority resources
Food agencies in the United Kingdom have raised resource concerns in a report on food standards.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) published a report reviewing food standards across the UK. It looked at whether they have improved, declined or stayed the same in 2022 and
Continue Reading UK food agencies highlight lack of staff in food standards report
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has dropped some proposed plans as part of updating food hygiene controls following a consultation.
Several stakeholders raised concerns about a new scoring system and frequencies of planned official controls. They would have applied in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. FSA said the plans will
Continue Reading Feedback prompts FSA to re-think the food hygiene approach
A limited review of remote audits in England has revealed a mixed reaction from local authorities.
The study evaluated remote assessments for Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) re-rating inspections in England. The Food Standard Agency’s (FSA) COVID-19 recovery plan enabled local authorities to conduct an FHRS re-inspection under certain conditions
Continue Reading Mixed views from local authorities on remote assessments
A council in England has prosecuted the previous owner of a restaurant for failing to comply with food safety regulations following a food poisoning outbreak in late 2022.
Surrey Heath Borough Council prosecuted the former operator of Mogul Restaurant in Bagshot. The company was ordered to pay a fine of
Continue Reading Restaurant fined after outbreak; councils seize smokies
Most companies in England would support mandatory food hygiene rating display, according to research by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
Outlets are given a rating from 0 to 5, with 5 indicating “very good” food hygiene and 0 meaning “urgent improvement necessary.” In Wales and Northern Ireland, businesses are legally
Continue Reading FSA survey shows backing for mandatory food hygiene display
Audited councils in an Australian state are not doing enough to protect public health, according to a report.
The Victorian Auditor General’s Office (VAGO) looked at whether agencies are complying with their legal responsibilities for food safety. This included the Department of Health and councils in Casey, Geelong, Hepburn, Kingston
Continue Reading Audit finds councils can do more to ensure food safety
