The Food Standards Agency is an independent food safety watchdog set up by an Act of Parliament in 2000 to protect the public's health and consumer interests in relation to food.
Between 2001 and 2006, the Agency's key aims are to:
1.reduce foodborne illness by 20% by improving food safety; 2.right through the food chain;
3.help people to eat more healthily;
4.promote honest and informative labelling to help consumers;
5.promote best practice within the food industry;
6.improve the enforcement of food law;
7.earn people's trust by what we do and how we do it.
By working hard to ensure that we are the UK's most reliable source of advice and information about food. The FSA's guiding principles are:
1.putting the consumer first;
2.being open and accessible;
3.being an independent voice.
Although the FSA is a Government agency, it works at 'arm's length' from Government because it doesn't report to a specific minister and is free to publish any advice it issues.
The Agency is led by a Board that has been appointed to act in the public interest and not to represent particular sectors. Board members have a wide range of relevant skills and experience. Our UK headquarters are in London, but the Agency also has national offices in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Meat Hygiene Service is an Executive Agency of the Food Standards Agency.
