Guidance: Northern Ireland

The Agency regularly issues guidance to food industry representatives and other stakeholders on a range of topics, often as a result of new regulations coming into force.

FSA Guidance Feedback Survey

The FSA is very keen to make its guidance as clear and helpful as possible. We do regular internal reviews of the format and style of our guidance, but reaction from readers is very important. Please complete this short survey to tell us how helpful you thought the FSA guidance was that you have read recently and to suggest ways we might improve it.

External links The Food Standards Agency has no responsibility for the content of external websites

FSA Guidance Feedback Survey

Find out more

Basmati rice

A UK code of practice for basmati rice has been developed.

Bread and Flour Regulations 1998: Guidance notes

The Bread and Flour Regulations 1998 lay down labelling and compositional standards for the breads and flours to which they apply. They also continue with a long standing national requirement to restore certain vitamins and minerals to flour manufactured and sold in the UK.

Ceramic Articles in Contact with Food Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006

Guidance notes on the Ceramic Articles in Contact with Food Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006

Clear Food Labelling

The purpose of this guidance is to help manufacturers, producers and retailers provide food label information for pre-packed foods in a clear way that is helpful to consumers, and be aware of the relevant UK food labelling legislation for pre-packed foods.

Cocoa and chocolate products Guidance Notes

Cocoa and Chocolate Products Regulations 2003.

Condensed Milk and Dried Milk Regulations 2003 Guidance Notes

The Regulations make rules governing the labelling of certain preserved milk, and the manufacturing specifications to be adhered to if products are to be described by certain reserved descriptions.

Contaminants in Food Regulations (Northern Ireland) Guidance note 2009

This Guidance Note provides informal guidance to The Contaminants in Food Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 (Statutory Rule 2009 No. 220) and should be read in conjunction with the pertinent EU legislation, including European Regulation (EC) No. 1881/2006 as amended, as well as Commission Regulation (EC) No. 124/2009 and the accompanying Regulation on Sampling and Analysis for Official Controls.

Country of origin labelling guidance

The Food Standards Agency has published revised guidance for industry and enforcement authorities on country of origin labelling, as part of its continuing commitment to improve food labelling for consumers.

Criteria for the use of the terms Fresh, Pure, Natural etc.

The Agency has revised its guidance on the use of marketing terms such as 'fresh', 'pure' and 'natural'.

Feed Law Enforcement Guidance for Northern Ireland

Guidance notes on the Feed Law Enforcement for Northern Ireland.

Fish Labelling Regulations 2010

The Fish Labelling Regulations 2010, which came into force on 6 April 2010, replace the 2003 regulations.

Food Chain information: Cattles, Sheep and Goats (Northern Ireland)

Legislation (Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004 laying down specific rules for food of animal origin) comes into operation on 1 January 2010 requiring slaughterhouse operators to ‘request, receive, check and act upon’ food chain information (FCI) for all cattle, sheep and goats sent for slaughter for human consumption.

Food Labelling (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004 and 2005 Guidance notes

Guidance Notes on The Food Labelling (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004 and The Food Labelling (Amendment No 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005

Food Labelling Regulations Guidance Notes

The Food Labelling Regulations 1996

Food chain information for cattle/calves, sheep and goats in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

From 1 January 2010 EU food hygiene legislation required slaughterhouse operators to ‘request, receive, check and act upon’ food chain information (FCI) for all cattle, sheep and goats sent for slaughter for human consumption. The Agency has produced guidance and model forms to help food businesses.

Food supplements: guidance on legislation implementing directive 2002/46/EC

The Food Standards Agency is responsible for this guidance in Northern Ireland and Scotland. You can see the supplements guidance and frequently asked questions about the legislation at the link below.

Food supplements: label advisory statements and suggested reformulations

This note introduces advice that applies to some food supplements containing high levels of vitamins and minerals. The advice covers advisory statements to be included on labels and, in a limited number of cases, suggests reformulation.

Foods for particular nutritional uses, medical foods and infant formula: Guidance notes and notification forms

A food for a particular nutritional use is one which owing to its special composition or process of manufacture, is clearly distinguishable from food intended for normal consumption and is sold in such a way as to indicate its suitability for its claimed particular nutritional purpose.

Fortified foods: guidance to compliance with European Regulation (EC) No. 1925/2006

This guidance is to help manufacturers and producers comply with the the legislation on the voluntary addition of vitamins and minerals and certain other substances to food (fortified food). The Food Standards Agency in Scotland and in Northern Ireland have responsibility for this guidance.

Guidance Notes on the Food Safety (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004 and the General Food Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004

EC General Food Law Regulation 178/2002

Guidance Notes on the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations (2007) as amended

Date of publication: 22 May 2008

Guidance for enforcement officers in Northern Ireland for sampling food and feed to determine the presence of GM material

Guidance note for enforcement officers

Guidance on expenses arising from 'additional official controls'

The Food Standards Agency has issued guidance notes to provide advice in relation to Regulation 43 of the Official Feed and Food Controls (England) Regulations 2009. Parallel regulations apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Guidance on food chain information for pig slaughterhouses

Legislation comes into force on 1 January 2008 requiring slaughterhouse operators to 'request, receive, check and act upon' food chain information (FCI) for all pigs sent to the slaughterhouse.

Guidance on labelling of added ingredients in MPR Reg 5 meat products

This is a guide to regulatory compliance incorporating guidance on best practice relating to labelling of added ingredients in meat products which have the appearance of a cut, joint, slice, portion or carcass of meat or of cured meat, whether cooked or uncooked. In this guidance such meat products are referred to as appearing like 'whole meats'.

Guidance on legislation for spreadable fats and other yellow fat spreads

This guidance note provides informal, non-binding guidance on legislation relating to spreadable fats and other yellow fats and help enforcement authorities to identify and take action on misleading labelling. It replaces previous guidance on the labelling of spreadable fats and other yellow fat spreads.

Guidance on legislation on the protection of definitions and designations in respect of milk and milk products

This guidance note provide informal, non-binding guidance on compliance with the regulations by industry, and to aid the enforcement of legislation relating to the protection of definitions and designations used in the marketing of milk and milk products.

Guidance on the Fruit Juices and Fruit Nectars Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003

Guidance notes issued in December 2006

Guidance on the Plastic Materials and Articles in Contact with Food Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009

This guidance is aimed primarily at businesses (including SMEs, which may either use the guidance directly or learn about it via trade associations or enforcement authority contacts) that manufacture, use, import or sell materials and articles made from plastic that are intended for use in contact with food.

Guidance on the use of the terms 'vegetarian' and 'vegan' in food labelling

There is no definition in law of the terms 'vegetarian' or 'vegan' either at UK or European level. This document identifies the legislation relevant to the use of these terms, other legislation relevant to ingredient listing of animal products and provides advice on labelling foods as 'suitable for vegetarians' / 'vegetarian' or 'suitable for vegans' / 'vegan'.

Guide for food business operators on charging for meat hygiene official controls in Northern Ireland

DARD Veterinary Service, Veterinary Public Health Unit (DARD VPHU) carry out Meat Hygiene Official controls in approved slaughterhouses, game handling establishments and cutting plants in Northern Ireland on behalf of the Food Standards Agency.

Home Slaughter Of Livestock: A Guide To The Law In Northern Ireland

Published August 2010

Honey Regulations 2003 Guidance Notes

The Honey Regulations 2003 implement the provisions of EC Directive 2001/110 relating to honey.

Jam and Similar Products Regulations 2003 Guidance Notes

The Jam and Similar Products Regulations came into force in England on 31 December 2003 and separate analogous legislation was put in place in January 2004 in Northern Ireland and in March 2004 in Wales and Scotland.

Labelling and Composition of Meat Products Guidance Notes

Commission Directive 2001/101/EC amends the Food Labelling Directive (2000/13/EC), and introduces a European generic definition of meat for the purposes of labelling. The definition puts meat ingredient declarations in meat products on the same basis throughout the European Union, providing consumers with consistent and more transparent information.