The Food Standards Agency
Who we are, what we do, and how we do it.
About the Food Standards Agency and our mission
Established in 2000 following several high-profile outbreaks of foodborne illness, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) is the independent government department working to protect public health and consumers’ wider interests in relation to food in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Our mission is food you can trust.
Our work not only protects people but also reduces the economic burden of foodborne illness and supports the UK economy and trade by ensuring that our food has a strong reputation for safety and authenticity in the UK and abroad.
We are responsible for the systems that regulate food businesses and we are at the forefront of tackling food crime.
The FSA’s role does not just cover food safety, but also other consumer interests in food, which include price, availability, and some aspects of food production standards like environmental concerns and animal welfare. Ensuring food you can trust is central to our mission.
By food you can trust, we mean a food system in which:
Our work is underpinned by the latest science and evidence and agreed at our open Board meetings. Transparency is a guiding principle for the FSA and key to maintaining public confidence.