Food safety encompasses not only the prevention of gastro-intestinal illnesses caused by bacteria and viruses, but also the avoidance of harm from chemical contamination and the ingestion of unwanted physical contaminants such as glass or metal.
Food poisoning can cause serious illness, and some types can lead to permanent disability or even death. According to the Health Protection Agency there were nearly 75,000 statutory notifications of food poisoning in England and Wales in 2009. This places a significant burden on the economy, costing in the region of £ 900 million.
Control of food safety is managed by a series of interventions that apply to all food businesses from production to point of sale. The key government departments and agencies that regulate and advise on food safety matters are the Food Standards Agency, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department of Health. Much of the legislation governing food safety is set by the European Union. For further information on the legislation, please visit the FSA website.
Monitoring and enforcement of food safety requirements is carried out at local level by a range of professionally qualified officers. The majority of these are environmental health practitioners (EHPs.)See our page on the national Food Hygiene Rating System for the CIEH position on publishing food hygiene scores.
Further information
If you are a food business or member of the public seeking advice on a food safety issue, you may find the Government’s Business Link website helpful. Alternatively, please contact your local council environmental health department. To find your local authority please visit the Directgov website.