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The Food Standards Agency is an independent voice within government on food, able to give advice, and publish it, without asking Ministers first.
We aim to be trusted as the UK's most reliable source of advice and information about food. We want to protect and improve the safety of the food people eat and to make it possible for people to choose a healthy diet.
This site is designed primarily with you in mind - whether you're an MP, a peer or work as a member of their staff, or work within government. This should be your first port of call whenever you need to find out more about any of the issues we are responsible for, such as:
- Food safety
- Food standards
- Labelling
- Diet and health
- Enforcing food law
We'd also encourage you to visit our main website at www.food.gov.uk for the full range of information and advice we provide.
FSA news, which is published monthly, highlights the Agency's work and summarises key developments in food safety and standards issues. If you'd like to be put on the mailing list to receive a copy each month, contact publicaffairs@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk
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FSA Board agrees principles for front of pack labelling
The FSA has agreed a consistent approach for front of pack labelling that will help make it easier for people to choose a healthier diet, based on four core principles developed as a result of extensive consumer research.
“Most manufacturers and retailers are now using front of pack nutritional labelling and this is good news. Some shoppers find extra GDA information useful – and all industry needs to do is add traffic light colours to their GDA schemes to ensure the consumer gets the best of both worlds.
Our extensive and published research demonstrates that the use of traffic light colours is key in helping people interpret nutritional information on foods. We want to highlight to shoppers that these labels are now out there and really can help us all to make healthier choices."
Dame Deirdre Hutton, Chair, Food Standards Agency
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FSA announces salt reduction targets
The FSA has published voluntary salt reduction targets to further encourage food manufacturers and retailers to reduce the amount of salt in a wide range of processed foods. Some organisations have already committed to going further and faster than the reduction targets.
The reduction targets apply to salt levels in the 85 food categories which contribute most to the amount of salt in our diet. These include every day foods such as bread, meat products and cereal products, and convenience products like pizza, ready meals, savoury snacks and cakes and pastries.
Processed foods contribute around 75% of salt to the diet.
“Since 2004 the FSA has been working in partnership with the UK food industry and health organisations to encourage product reformulation and to raise consumer awareness of the health risks associated with eating too much salt.
'Today’s urinary sodium results illustrate the progress that is being made in reducing the nation’s daily salt intake. However there is still some way to go before we reach the 6g target and we all now need to build on this to ensure that the downward trend continues.
'To help achieve this, the FSA will continue its work in encouraging industry to offer consumers healthier choices and to encourage consumers to drive demand for those healthier choices. And this is exactly what the "Full of it" campaign is all about.”
Dame Deirdre Hutton, Chair, Food Standards Agency
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