Guidance: Scotland

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• EC Feed Hygiene Regulation (183/2005) Scotland

  Friday 15 August 2008

  Download advice on the requirements of the EC Feed Hygiene Regulation (183/2005) in Scotland.

• Expenses arising from 'additional official controls': Guidance notes

  Monday 22 February 2010

  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.

• 'Use by' date guidance notes

  Wednesday 14 September 2011

  Guidance on 'use by' and 'best before' dates.

• Algal toxins in official control shellfish monitoring programme: protocol on application of earlier testing at closed areas

  Tuesday 7 June 2011

  Since 1 April 2000 the Food Standards Agency Scotland (FSAS) assumed responsibility for monitoring and surveillance of bivalve mollusc harvesting areas and the FSAS monitoring and surveillance programme came into operation on that date.

• Algal toxins in shellfish monitoring programme Scotland: guidance for food authorities

  Wednesday 24 June 2009

  Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 lays down the hygiene requirements for the production and placing on the market of live bivalve molluscs.

• Basmati rice

  Monday 31 October 2005

  A UK code of practice for basmati rice has been developed. The code applies to prepacked as well as non-prepacked rice, and where rice is used as an ingredient in other foods.

• Bread and Flour Regulations 1998: Guidance notes

  Tuesday 8 July 2008

  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 (Scotland) Regulations 2006: Guidance notes

  Wednesday 10 May 2006

  Guidance for business and food authorities

• Clear Food Labelling

  Sunday 1 June 2008

  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

  Tuesday 23 June 2009

  Cocoa and Chocolate Products Regulations 2003.

• Condensed Milk and Dried Milk Regulations 2003 Guidance Notes

  Monday 28 April 2008

  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.

• Consumer Guide to Country of Origin Information on Food Labels

  Friday 25 June 2010

  As part of their National Food and Drink Policy, the Scottish Government asked the Food Standards Agency in Scotland to produce guidance on country of origin labelling for consumers in Scotland.

• Country of origin labelling guidance

  Tuesday 18 September 2012

  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.

  Wednesday 9 July 2008

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

• Feed hygiene regulation: Guidance for farmers

  Monday 11 August 2008

  The Feed Hygiene Regulation (183/2005) came into effect in January 2006. It applies to businesses that make, use or market animal feeds. This includes most livestock farms, arable farms that grow, use or sell crops for feed use, and also fish farms.

• Food Labelling Regulations Guidance Notes

  Thursday 27 February 2003

  The Food Labelling Regulations 1996

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

  Monday 14 December 2009

  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 chain information: guidance for operators of pig slaughterhouses in Scotland

  Friday 23 March 2012

  Legislation came 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.

• Food safety and labelling for farmers markets

  Thursday 5 July 2012

  The revised guide by FSA Scotland builds on existing good practice. The guide has been enhanced to include a section on food labelling to cover most food found at farmers markets.

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

  Tuesday 17 January 2012

  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.

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

  Tuesday 8 June 2010

  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

  Wednesday 28 December 2011

  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.

• Fruit Juices and Fruit Nectars Regulations 2003 Guidance Notes

  Wednesday 9 July 2003

  The new legislation will replace the Fruit Juices and Fruit Nectars Regulations 1977 (as amended) which currently apply to the whole of Great Britain.

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

  Wednesday 4 March 2009

  Date of publication: 22 May 2008

• Guidance on The Materials and Articles in Contact with Food (Scotland) Regulations 2010

  Wednesday 15 September 2010

  This guidance is aimed at all companies that manufacture, process, distribute, use, sell or import active and intelligent materials and articles that are intended for use in contact with food. It is also aimed at those authorities who are responsible for enforcing the legislation. It may additionally be of interest to others with an interest in the legislation.

• Home slaughter of livestock: A guide to the law in Scotland

  Sunday 12 May 2013

  To provide information on the law covering the home slaughter of livestock in Scotland.

• Imports provisions for products of non-animal origin: Guidance notes for feed and food businesses

  Wednesday 25 October 2006

  This guidance note, using a question and answer format, explains the legal requirements for import businesses that are set out in Part 3 of the Official Feed and Food Controls (Scotland) Regulations 2005 (The OFFC Regulations), and outlines the arrangements for enforcement of these. It should be read together with the regulations.

• Increased levels of official controls on imports of certain feed and food of non-animal origin of known or emerging risk: Guidance for enforcers

  Friday 5 October 2012

  This guidance explains safeguard measures and the enforcement of Regulation (EC) No 669/2009 (as amended) concerning the increased level of official controls on imports of certain feed and food of non-animal origin (FNAO) of known or emerging risk.

• Inspection of shellfish purification systems: guidance for Local Food Authorities

  Tuesday 30 November 2010

  The Regulation (EC) 853/2004 specifies the health conditions for the production and placing on the market of live bivalve molluscs. Under Regulation (EC) 854/2004.

• Jam and Similar Products Regulations 2003 Guidance Notes

  Saturday 24 January 2004

  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

  Sunday 7 September 2003

  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.

• Labelling and composition of meat products Scotland: Guidance notes

  Tuesday 1 June 2010

  This guidance aims to offer informal, non-statutory advice on the European definition of meat for labelling purposes as it relates to the Meat Products (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (MPR). Also included is specific guidance for butchers and bakers.

• Labelling of added ingredients in MPR Reg 5 meat products: Guidance

  Thursday 27 May 2010

  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'.

• Legislation for spreadable fats and other yellow fat spreads: Guidance

  Thursday 24 June 2010

  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.

• Legislation on the protection of definitions and designations in respect of milk and milk products: Guidance

  Thursday 24 June 2010

  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.

• Lot Marking Regulations Guidance Notes

  Monday 11 November 1996

  Food (Lot Marking) Regulations 1996

• Meat Products Regulations 2003: summary guidance for bakers

  Thursday 20 January 2011

  These guidance notes are designed for bakers and similar small businesses that make and sell meat products.

• Milk Hygiene on the Dairy Farm

  Monday 23 March 2009

  New EU food hygiene legislation, which came into effect on 1 January 2006, sets out more clearly the duty of food businesses to produce food safely and to achieve consistency.

• Natural Mineral Water, Spring Water and Bottled Drinking Water Regulations 2007 (As Amended) Guidance Note

  Thursday 15 July 2010

  Guidance is available on the recognition, exploitation, bottling and labelling rules for natural mineral water, spring water and bottled drinking water in the UK.

• Natural mineral waters

  Wednesday 30 March 2011

  The Agency in Scotland retains the lead with bottled water policy. The list of natural mineral waters recognised in the UK can be found at the link below.

• Nutrition and health claims: guidance to compliance with Regulation (EC) 1924/2006

  Tuesday 26 February 2013

  The Food Standards Agency in Scotland is responsible for this guidance, which is intended to help food businesses comply with the nutrition and health claims regulation (EC) 1924/2006.

• Nutritional Labelling Guidance Notes

  Thursday 23 December 2004

  The Food Labelling Regulations 1996 (FLR).

• Official controls of wild pectinidae for biotoxins implementation of EC Regulations 854/2004 and 882/2004

  Wednesday 24 June 2009

  This guidance outlines the proposed new regime for official controls of wild scallops. These procedures are required by EC Regulation 854/2004. The Food Standards Agency Scotland has central competency for functions under this Regulation. Enforcement of the regime for official controls of wild pectinidae has been delegated to the local food authority.

• Officially tuberculosis free status and the Dairy Products (Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 1995

  Friday 12 October 2001

  This guidance note provides information and advice to Food Authorities in Scotland who have dairy herds and/or dairy establishments in their area which produce unpasteurised milk-based products

• Plastic Materials And Articles In Contact With Food (Scotland) Regulations 2009: Guidance

  Wednesday 25 February 2009

  Guidance on plastic materials and articles in contact with food are available.

• Primary Production Feed and Food Record Keeping Requirements Guidance for Farmers (Scotland)

  Monday 20 September 2010

  This guidance has been produced for feed and food businesses, many of which are small or medium sized enterprises. It is also aimed at bodies responsible for the enforcement of Regulation (EC) 852/2004 and Regulation (EC) 183/2005.

• Primary Production Food and Feed Hygiene Inspections in Scotland: Guide

  Friday 8 April 2011

  This guidance, directed to local food and feed authorities, is intended to provide advice on the primary production food and feed hygiene enforcement regime in Scotland, which is described in Annex 10 of the Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland).

• Protocol for classification and management of E.coli results (updated March 2012)

  Tuesday 20 March 2012

  This classification protocol is intended to give direction on the classification of shellfish harvesting areas programme run by the Food Standards Agency Scotland (FSAS) under Regulation (EC) 854/2004.

• Quantitative Ingredient Declarations (QUID) Guidance Notes

  Tuesday 11 March 2003

  Food Labelling Regulations 1996, as amended by the Food Labelling (Amendment) Regulations 1998 and the Food Labelling (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1999.

• Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003, genetically modified food and feed

  Tuesday 31 May 2005

  Regulation (EC) No 1830/2003, traceability and labelling of genetically modified organisms and the traceability of food and feed products produced from genetically modified organisms and amending Directive 2001/18

• Sampling Advice: Mycotoxins in Foodstuffs

  Thursday 27 September 2007

  The purpose of this document is to provide information to enforcement authorities and food business operators on the legislation regarding mycotoxins in foodstuffs and the official methods of sampling cereals, dried fruit, groundnuts, nuts, products derived from nuts, spices, coffee, fruit juice, cider, milk, wine and apple products for mycotoxins.

• Sampling and analysis advice for bee farmers

  Tuesday 22 June 2010

  Under general food law, food business operators (FBOs) have a responsibility to ensure that any food they place on the market is safe and complies with the relevant legislation.

• Sampling food and feed to determine the presence of genetically modified (GM) material (Scotland): Guidance note

  Friday 21 December 2007

  This supplementary guidance note has been produced by the Novel Foods, Additives and Supplements Division of the Food Standards Agency to provide informal guidance to enforcement authorities for sampling food and feed to determine the presence of genetically modified (GM) material.

• Use of the terms 'vegetarian' and 'vegan' in food labelling: Guidance

  Wednesday 5 April 2006

  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'.