Industry-wide review launched into meat processing plants across the UK
The Food Standards Agency published details of a major review into the sites where meat products are processed and stored in the UK.
Food Standards Scotland and Food Standards Agency announce the launch of comprehensive review of hygiene controls, review includes unannounced inspections and audit regimes. Also published today is the FSA’s update to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s inquiry into standards in poultry processing and the findings of the FSA’s investigation into 2 Sisters Food Group.
Jason Feeney and Geoff Ogle, chief executives of the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland respectively, said, “We are concerned about recent instances of companies breaching hygiene rules. People rightly expect food businesses to keep to the rules, rules designed to keep consumers safe and to sustain public trust in food - and food businesses have a duty to follow the regulations. Our review will be far reaching and thorough and we will announce our initial findings in June.”
“We are pleased that the meat industry representatives who we met with have pledged their full and effective engagement with the review.”
The review being launched today will aim to increase public and stakeholder confidence in the meat industry and its regulation, improve the ability to identify non-compliance and take prompt action to minimise the risk to public health and food safety, assess how the industry currently operates across the whole supply chain, and increase awareness of circumstances and factors which can lead to non-compliance.
