Food business - (Food Safety Act)
Information in respect of the food safety regulations for food businesses.
Food Safety Act 1990 (as amended)
Food Safety is vital to each and every consumer. It is also vital to every producer, processor, manufacturer and retailer. Consumers expect that the food they buy and eat will be what they expect and will do them no harm.
The Food Safety Act 1990, affects everyone who works in the production, processing, storage, distribution and sale of food. This includes self employed people and non profit making organisations as well as farmers, growers and caterers.
The Act aims to ensure that all food produced for sale is safe to eat, reaches quality expectations and is not misleadingly presented. It also provides legal powers and penalties. The Act is enforced by Central and Local Government. Environmental Health Officers working for Local Governments have powers to enable them to enforce the Act and supplementary legislation on a day to day basis.
The Act was amended by the General Food Regulations 2004, guidance can be found on the Food Standards Agency website.
The Main offences are:
- Rendering food injurious to health;
- Selling to the purchasers prejudice, food which is not of the nature or substance or quality demanded;
- And falsely or misleadingly describing or presenting food.
Does the Food Safety Act stand alone?
No. Many of the key provisions in food law are contained in regulations. For example there are regulations which relate to food labelling, food hygiene; temperature control, the registration of food premises and various product specific regulations.