Guidance: Scotland
Guidance for regulations in Scotland
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EC Feed Hygiene Regulation (183/2005) Scotland
Download advice on the requirements of the EC Feed Hygiene Regulation (183/2005) in Scotland.
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.
Algal toxins in official control shellfish monitoring programme: protocol on application of earlier testing at closed areas
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
Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 lays down the hygiene requirements for the production and placing on the market of live bivalve molluscs.
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 (Scotland) Regulations 2006: Guidance notes
Guidance for business and food authorities
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.
Collagen and Gelatine (Intra-Community Trade) (Scotland) Regulations 2003 Guidance Notes
The Collagen and Gelatine (Intra-Community Trade) (Scotland) Regulations 2003 (SSI 2003/299) as amended come into force on 30 September 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.
Consumer Guide to Country of Origin Information on Food Labels
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
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'.
Cutting of meat for direct sale by farmers Scotland
The purpose of this guidance is to clarify local authority enforcement responsibilities in relation to the cutting of meat for direct sale by farmers.
Food Labelling (Amendment) (Scotland) (No 2) Regulations 2004: Guidance notes
These guidance notes provide guidance and best practice advice on the Food Labelling (Amendment) (Scotland) (No.2) Regulations 2004, which set out labelling rules on the indication of ingredients, particularly allergenic ingredients, in pre-packed foods, including alcoholic drinks. The regulations came into force on 26 November 2004 and amend the Food Labelling Regulations 1996.
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 chain information: guidance for operators of pig slaughterhouses in Scotland
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 for farmers markets
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
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.
Fruit Juices and Fruit Nectars Regulations 2003 Guidance Notes
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
Date of publication: 22 May 2008
Guidance On The Plastic Materials And Articles In Contact With Food (Scotland) Regulations 2009
Guidance on plastic materials and articles in contact with food are available.
Guidance for farmers on the new feed hygiene regulation
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.
Guidance note for sampling food and feed to determine the presence of genetically modified material (Scotland)
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.
Guidance notes for feed and food businesses on the imports provisions for products of non-animal origin
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.
Guidance on The Contaminants in Food (Scotland) Regulations 2009
This Guidance Note provides informal guidance to The Contaminants in Food (Scotland) Regulations 2009 (Statutory Instrument 2009 No. 215) 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.
Guidance on The Materials and Articles in Contact with Food (Scotland) Regulations 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.
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 inspection of shellfish purification systems for local food authorities
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.
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 to Primary Production Food and Feed Hygiene Inspections in Scotland
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).
Home Slaughter of Livestock: A Guide to the Law in Scotland
Revision 5 – 1 July 2011
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.
Labelling and composition of meat products Scotland: Guidance notes
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.
Lot Marking Regulations Guidance Notes
Food (Lot Marking) Regulations 1996
Meat Products Regulations 2003: summary guidance for bakers
These guidance notes are designed for bakers and similar small businesses that make and sell meat products.
Milk Hygiene on the Dairy Farm
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
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
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
The Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland and 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
The Food Labelling Regulations 1996 (FLR).
Official controls of wild pectinidae for biotoxins implementation of EC Regulations 854/2004 and 882/2004
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
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
Primary Production Feed and Food Record Keeping Requirements Guidance for Farmers (Scotland)
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.
Protocol for classification and management of E.coli results (updated 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
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
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
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
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.
Use-by date guidance notes
Guidance on use-by and best before dates.