The Food Standards Agency was set up as a non-Ministerial government department by the Food Standards Act of 1999 and started work in April 2000. Our main purpose as defined in the Food Standards Act is 'to protect public health from risks which may arise in connection with the consumption of food, and otherwise to protect the interests of consumers in relation to food'.

Who are we accountable to?

We are accountable to the UK Parliament through Health Ministers and to the devolved administrations through their equivalents in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Agency therefore operates at arm's length from Ministers while remaining fully accountable to Parliament.

For further information on the origin and role of the Food Standards Agency, including links to key documents, click here.

The way we work

The Agency's guiding principles are to put the consumer first and be open, accessible and independent. We are free to advise consumers independently of Ministers and publish the advice we issue.

We take advice from independent scientific advisory committees that advise the government on topics ranging from microbiological and chemical safety to BSE and nutrition.

How are we structured?

The Agency is led by a Board that has been appointed to act in the public interest and not to represent particular sectors. Dame Deirdre Hutton became chair of the Agency in 2005. The current Deputy Chair is Dr Ian Reynolds.

Board members have a wide range of relevant skills and experience. Policy decisions are taken by the Board in public at open meetings held across the UK. Our UK headquarters are in London, but the Agency also has national offices in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland