Food safety, everyone’s business
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is celebrating the first ever World Food Safety Day by highlighting the UK’s internationally recognised food alerts system.
While it is rare for food to be removed from the market because there is a problem, there are several reasons why food may need to be recalled. For example, if the allergen information on a label is inaccurate, or if there are concerns around food poisoning bacteria such as salmonella.
Dr Colin Sullivan, Chief Operating Officer at the Food Standards Agency, said: “We’re very pleased to be supporting World Food Safety Day. One of the key ways we help ensure food is safe is through publishing food alerts which tell you about products that have been removed from sale, so you can take action to keep safe.
“We issued 72 food recalls and 103 allergy alerts in 2018 and we make every effort to make sure we publish our alerts as soon as we can and with information that is both useful and clear. Our advice to people is always based on the best science and evidence available. I’d encourage everyone to sign up for our food alerts service, to get immediate updates when product recalls and allergy alerts are published.”
Steve Wearne, Director of Science at the Food Standards Agency and Vice Chair of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, said: “We are proud to be celebrating the first ever World Food Safety Day, it is great to have an international day to draw attention and inspire action to help prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks.
“Today is an opportunity to strengthen efforts to ensure the food we eat is safe. Food Safety is everyone’s business, whether you produce, process, sell or prepare food, then you have a role in keeping it safe. We are pleased to play our part in making sure people can trust their food, particularly through working with local authorities and food businesses when a recall is required.”
Sign up to the food alerts and allergy alerts, so you can be the first to hear if there is a recall, here: www.food.gov.uk/news-alerts/subscribe
