back to menuThe Food Standards Agency is to monitor performance on food safety after a study on enforcement revealed that almost half of the food premises inspected in the UK last year broke food safety rules and that infringements have increased by 11 % over the last three years.
Of the 381,617 food premises inspected by local Environmental Health officers, 179,897 had broken food safety rules in 1999. This compares with 161,671 breaking the rules in 1997, out of 363,594 inspected. While infringements have increased by 11 %, the number of food premises grew by 10%. Most of the breaches were relatively minor. There were 612,203 registered food premises in the UK in 1999, so it would seem that more than half of them were inspected last year, which does seem to be a good effort despite the fact that, over the past three years, the number of food standards inspections has fallen by 17% and food hygiene inspections by 0.7%. Food sampling by local authorities has decreased by 22% over the last three years, and that is a worrying statistic.
Initial findings show considerable variations between local authorities which could indicate that some are being more active, and possibly more effective, than others in enforcing standards in food premises. Perhaps it comes as a surprise to learn that Local Authorities have such a major part to play in food safety. Sir John Krebs, the Food Standards Agency Chairman, has said that they are working closely with Local Authorities. Let us hope so; it is vital to our safety that those local authorities which are clearly lagging behind the others in carrying out their enforcement duties are brought, back into line.
Sir John Krebs said:
"Consumers expect the food they buy from restaurants and shops to be safe. This study shows that the rules are being broken too many times by the food industry and that we must be sure that local authorities have in place effective advice, inspection and enforcement systems. It is not acceptable for the infringements to continue at these levels, nor is it acceptable for consumers not to know how effectively they are being protected. Up to now the information has been sketchy and uncoordinated. The measures we are taking will provide an effective national framework for measuring and enforcing food safety.
" We are working with local authorities and the food industry to collect more accurate information about performance. Once we are confident the information is robust we will publish performance tables on a local basis.
"Local authority enforcement officers have a crucial role to play to help protect consumers. The Agency will work with them and businesses to improve preventative and safety measures. But any businesses which are putting people's health at risk will, ultimately, face prosecution."
The Food Standards Agency is also to establish audit teams which will target local authorities where there is a need for a full investigation.
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