Food Standards Agency
The Food Standards Agency is an independent voice withingovernment on food, able to give advice, and publish it, withoutasking Ministers first.
We aim to be trusted as the UK's most reliable source of adviceand information about food. We want to protect and improve thesafety of the food people eat and to make it possible for people tochoose a healthy diet.
This site is designed primarily with you in mind - whetheryou're an MP, a peer or work as a member of their staff, or workwithin government. This should be your first port of call wheneveryou need to find out more about any of the issues we areresponsible 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 forthe full range of information and advice we provide.
FSA news, which is published monthly, highlights the Agency'swork and summarises key developments in food safety and standardsissues. If you'd like to be put on the mailing list to receive acopy each month, contact publicaffairs@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk
FSA Board agrees principles for front of packlabelling
The FSA has agreed a consistent approach for front of packlabelling that will help make it easier for people to choose ahealthier diet, based on four core principles developed as a resultof extensive consumer research.
?Most manufacturers and retailers are now using front ofpack nutritional labelling and this is good news. Some shoppersfind extra GDA information useful ? and all industry needs to do isadd traffic light colours to their GDA schemes to ensure theconsumer gets the best of both worlds.
Our extensive and published research demonstrates that theuse of traffic light colours is key in helping people interpretnutritional information on foods. We want to highlight to shoppersthat these labels are now out there and really can help us all tomake healthier choices."
Dame Deirdre Hutton,Chair, Food Standards Agency
FSA announces salt reduction targets
The FSA has published voluntary salt reduction targets tofurther encourage food manufacturers and retailers to reduce theamount of salt in a wide range of processed foods. Someorganisations have already committed to going further and fasterthan the reduction targets.
The reduction targets apply to salt levels in the 85 foodcategories which contribute most to the amount of salt in our diet.These include every day foods such as bread, meat products andcereal 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 inpartnership with the UK food industry and health organisations toencourage product reformulation and to raise consumer awareness ofthe health risks associated with eating too much salt.
'Today?s urinary sodium results illustrate the progress that isbeing made in reducing the nation?s daily salt intake. Howeverthere is still some way to go before we reach the 6g target and weall now need to build on this to ensure that the downward trendcontinues.
'To help achieve this, the FSA will continue its work inencouraging industry to offer consumers healthier choices and toencourage consumers to drive demand for those healthier choices.And this is exactly what the "Full of it" campaign is allabout.?
Dame Deirdre Hutton, Chair, FoodStandards Agency
Latest Press Releases
- Views sought on traffic light labelling
- Agency consults on front of pack labelling scheme to help consumers make healthier choices
- Consumers say no to too much salt
- FSA publishes consultation on proposed salt targets for foods
- Batches of Rajah curry powder withdrawn from sale
- Consultation on improving imported food controls at Heathrow
- FSA welcomes EFSA opinion on semicarbazide
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