Our partnerships

Our Food Hygiene Rating Scheme is delivered in partnership with about 320 local authorities in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. They carry out hygiene inspections in about 610,000 premises – enabling consumer choice and improving hygiene standards in food.

Scientific partnerships across government and with academia are critical to meeting our science and evidence needs. We lead on PATH-SAFE, a £19.2 million cross-government programme, funded by HM Treasury, to explore novel methods for improved detection and tracking of foodborne pathogens and antimicrobial resistance through the whole agri-food system.

Strong partnership working also helps us to understand and reach the consumers we seek to protect. For example, partnering with Just Eat has helped us to increase transparency of information on hygiene in food businesses, enabling consumers to consider food safety when ordering food online.

Collaborating with charities like Allergy UK and Anaphylaxis UK helps us to better understand and support people living with food hypersensitivities.

We are working closely with colleagues in the Department for Education, Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, and local authorities to assess and improve the level of compliance with School Food Standards, to ensure healthier food.

We work in international fora to safeguard food entering the UK and to be at the forefront of international developments in food safety. Read about our work with partners to influence international food safety standards.