Monitoring food safety
The Food Standards Agency supports local authority food sampling programmes that are regularly carried out to ensure the safety of our food supply.
Food sampling forms an integral part of local authority food law enforcement and it can provide useful information to help effective enforcement of food law and contribute to improved food safety and standards. The Agency provides local authorities with practical guidance on food standards and feedingstuffs sampling to help ensure enforcement arrangements are consistent and proportionate.
As part of the Agency's action to improve local authority food sampling activities, a report was commissioned from the Public Analyst Service, which summarises sampling activity in 2000 and 2001.
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Food samples submitted to public analysts 2000/01
As part of the Agency's action to improve local authority food sampling activities, a report was commissioned from the Public Analyst Service which summarises sampling activity in 2000 and 2001.
Food sampling audits
The Food Standards Agency has published the findings of a programme of audits looking specifically at food sampling by local authorities.
List of Official Food Control Laboratories in the UK
Within each country laboratories are sub-divided according to whether chemical analysis and/or microbiological examination are carried out in the laboratory. Where a laboratory undertakes both types of work it is listed in both sections. The European Commission is notified of the list under Council Directive 93/99/EEC.
Meat and meat hygiene
This section covers the licensing, inspection and reporting regimes which govern the meat production and processing industries.
Sampling food and feed for genetically modified (GM) material guidance
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) supplementary guidance on the sampling of GM food and feed for enforcement officers, following a European Commission (EC) Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) Mission to the UK in June 2006.
Sampling guidance
These guidance documents on food standards and feedingstuffs sampling have been developed through the Sampling Co-ordination Working Group (SCWG) and has been endorsed by the Enforcement Liaision Group (ELG).
Shellfish monitoring
Food safety regulation and monitoring of the shellfish harvesting industry.
UK Food Surveillance System
Health Protection Scotland (HPS) has been commissioned by the Agency to deliver the UK Food Surveillance System within a 3-year period. The HPS will provide project management, user support, maintenance and development of the UK food surveillance system.