FOOD LAW PRODUCED BY: THE JOINT FOOD SAFETY AND STANDARDS GROUP (JFSSG) MOPLRIGHT: As we are unable to produce large numbers of multiple copies of this publication for interested organisations, Crown Copyright has been waived. You are therefore free to copy this publication within your organisation and to anyone else who may need it. We acknowledge the help and co-operation of the Departments of Health, Trade and Industry and HM Customs and Excise in making this list available. INDEX INTRODUCTION Part 1 FOOD SAFETY ACT 1990 General Key Provisions , Statutory Instruments (Sls) Implementing the Food Safety | 3-5 Act 1990 PPEEPL Codes of Practice ONnM OyW)wN [B |—D eclSarat~ion oCfA dd~itiv“es CS~S~S GSiNn tRiepo nstisddlmamolrisnlogo! ssiaven da e~oN) (=oe )S s Part 3 REGULATIONS ON THE COMPOSITION & LABELLING OF PARTICULAR FOODS 1 Penne /BMKIOAssins andG@asehisies | WARM dio On| 11-12) 6 | Mee | C)|C Cohcoaoandc hiateiRBiWOoAjdasdsc s9/t1H2 A | Ree eeenn |D Coffee and Coffee Products| divininiyind meso) | A 13 ee eens iE liCandenMislk seildicso aRnadia) DTre i[13e-14d eee ee Duinking Miki lesion ahd C7 14s an | Bere) 9)D rinking Water in'Containersiijaais ibaa) isa ay) a 15 | ee eee ucic Acid in roodeweaal iming )o od) manne 15 Beem clou-ccebread ngiieibard ini mingtihond | 4 | ee) Jes) Pool Juicesene braitiNectars| WONT O37 Od ngs 15-16 jae | eee sume on Honcy BBeP ISA nollosiony mamamivn) Ab ooted’ | \ |1 6-17 ee -Laruiinfantkormula Gebollow-on romulane) svinanhen | [177 emo ee |M adnlamencdiSimilapPrAoia vidviiocngthess i|i v4i [s17h-1o8 o7’ | | TN | Meat Products and Spreadable Fish Products | 18 ee) 2 ORiMiaienld kiRrodustsaaMvaio eGO19O or9 me g | eeNetelMiGnF cJa eMlewWapneg te(1r9 s | Peeeeme mbouich|e rozabeoont ltovolot | oA] d19-s20 Spreadable Fats 20-21 Sugar Weaning Foods 21-22 Revocations N—Os Part 4 REGULATIONS DEALING WITH THE CHEMICAL SAFETY OF FOOD Food Additives Labelling /B | Aflatoxins 23-24 Arsenic fe |B ae |-CoemicalGaosindsitomaaym §i Hnead npetnas! .4 [24-25 ereRe Ee Cuiorotoinem mh RE noiibea | | NNNOOOoa W naw COcre en COO e vil 225° | eeeeeeere Gh extectionsolvents boot girenpt 0/25 | Peeeaeee ey Flavourings 0 =.) 4 -atoubor® ria nomenon 9 [26 | S| Food Contact Materials andArticles i 26-28 eee Jeiiesdee ss gint nig? | [28-29 FSAD |, JFSSG December 1998 a = Fipna can |= TM _| Pesticides j UT LN = |S weeteners S129 0a ea ee oe Ee ee Lea | Tryptophan 2 | Part 5 EGGS & POULTRY Egg Products Ungraded Eggs ‘G)} i Eggs (Marketing Standards (e)a N Poultry Meat (Marketing Standards GWWw] rt 6 OTHER LEGISLATION Ae) Alcoholic Liglion Duties Acti197.9 iia aSNnEANT sian Siena | |B Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) | 35-39 Ma on TSC eee ae ee eee pe IDES iThind Country, Imports i) aCe SUAS ama Inn 1-2 Za 20 See PE. a SalmoneliaiiniPouttry 9 2h) Sapir aan 42222 eee Part 7 OTHER PRIMARY LEGISLATION PROVIDING REGULATIONS AFFECTING FOOD as European Communities Act 1972 aaya a On Agriculture & Horticulture Act 1964 (Chapter 28 Part III 5-46 Part 8 FOOD CONTROL Official Control of Foodstuffs | STB |Additional Food Control Measures ti Ai nah ini PEN) 47 aide Cas |,E ood Control of Irradiation! 25h Sea meen 47-4 Part 9 FOOD PROTECTION IN AN EMERGENCY ee PAL. |T he Food & Environment:Protection Act 1985 Wann y) 9) 1497) | «dT B._| Radioactive Contamination of Foodstuffs & Feedingstuffs [49 C | Radioactivity in Foodstuffs & Feedingstuffs Originating | 49-50 from Third Countries Part 10 NOVEL FOODS/GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS PAS Novel oods ait) i000) ah iMG giana Foei 5 1e ae | BT |G enetically Modified Organisms! 7 5S se nies [51-52 (Part 17.10) (HEALTH & HYGIENE LEGISUATION Ss giana! | A _| Fishery Products andL ive Bivalve Molluscs [53 pic A B= |F ood Hygiene. (General) i i ene ae isai 53:54 Jo 2 C5) Cleer: eami(Heait i .itirse aetem eri4-t65 )a ay a DR me es | jo E Milk 8 Milk Products 5a iiniiy UT earnest 5/58 '60 mae Part 12 MARKETING STANDARDS - DESCRIPTIONS & DESIGNATIONS / [Fan Frat8 V oges Nreing Sana =s oe ateal eoymen C25 Ftaraa e.0 O a Bene re ici sG ia FSAD 1, JFSSG December 1998 H | Other Legislation - Trade Descriptions Act, Consumer | 64-65 Protection Act and the Prices Act WEIGHTS & MEASURES LEGISLATION 66-67 FOOD SAFETY + N.B. The information contained in this document plus other important information about food safety and food related consumer protection (such as relevant Parliamentary debates and questions; committee reports on food safety; food surveillance reports and official information and advice) is available as full text electronic database on CD-ROM with full search, browse, print and save features. Annual subscription (£595 + VAT) includes quarterly updates and freephone help. For further information about this database contact: Michele Gallov on +44 (0)181 995 8242 or e-mail [email protected] o a eCG No 1oah7 pitts | FSAD |, JFSSG December 1998 « . a : i. r oo o > 7 > : . ~ ei . r \- & >‘ . ~ Det i Ls a i7 e Fpahr k. .. y- y ~t e oy . <A. A si J : . "1 » P, AP y) a - + | , Sw : _ - a a ‘ 7 - en - “ : ™ or da aTe in 7‘ 0: pi e * 4 es 7O A rs7 : i C } ‘2. |4 otade e5 e pAiooha nc e e—e om ee otg ee e on Steel —_ i- ' ~ Se eeb e me ee ee Pant & [ah ESOS 6 POULTRY eae txh pie Aly PST Ss tic i, co.uoup 69, SRCpa ENNIS. inaveiey 3 %. tase a Gna OREO tes CAR e NaI 22% ion Yank oa Tia eso ine Shilo 4S et oneal 34 et line Se Shh see ass oshh e onag: !1 L Paedincs sis a : ’ - wee Je ~~: 6 et Pe ee = —. i? - 4 Zur = ’ vay : mi ’ “4a ae7 . oe DE} a r 1 we vF . Se Rergie se oo ee Or ae id ni ool See hs wi ays PRA« GeG e TOUTE chee +Le ‘LEGISLATION > = PROVIDING: | = Ss REGULAR aes a DAG F OCD wtnu_ h ’ a eB ‘x¥ R1 "”E ieyiv 0 rs pos ipr Pesbu 1> 9i- 6 5 (PeC hTeeaa p9eee2r t 8P a-r ti a: ca re . ; . 25 - nf + ee ewe « \ } og— «+ ame 2s =e tas ; ON PAT . ——— ik A ee as s — oe a Fx ugha Pe bron tee pedis. A on pr A ? -TPVapeRs ee te aca ana a ce os af ti ‘or sd ie eee a : ! = deo ota —— 4 Be ere wee ee ee . -, » > ) * oy 7 Cc? v2 eh £24_ — ER: »% r rn 7 a: m*ba EMERGeEe NCaY a ee 4 —ecemmteP h B g RS es a f © “ls apPa eeston7, Ack bi letttste:: Louie el ot Food tubs & Faadingat ae A a] 2ia) w— c:* ¢ « rmoorri; se €+ F oem e1Sd eaimen cgsitutst orgiaing| 8 D “ray e % lpTshi rd i ea aea sek. HRSeo co ep a GeigAneag< Stas ee hye kn dtend Grieis e ) Si ESba La be feH Cl|R og - Sibitia wePe hi eee | m4! 7 67} 7 oo" = Cie = Sa. ane | a: vala = < A. %, Ute eee INTRODUCTION In general the legislation listed in this guide applies only to England and Wales (unless otherwise stated). Similar legislation applies to Scotland and Northern Ireland. However, the Food Safety Act 1990, and new regulations made under it from 1990 onwards, apply to Great Britain unless it is otherwise stated. Wherever possible this guide states which EC rules are implemented in our food law by the regulations listed on the following pages. The guide also provides contact details for further information at the end of each section. Alternatively enquiries can be made through the JFSSG Consumer Helpline on: 0345 573012 - your call will be charged to you at the local rate. These notes are intended only as a general guide; for definitive information the appropriate Act, Order, Regulation or Code of Practice should be consulted. Copies of the legislation referred to in this document may be obtained from The Stationery Office Publications Centre*, PO Box 276, LONDON SWé8 S5DT. Telephone orders may be placed by calling 0171-873-9090 or faxed on 0171- 873-8200. For general enquiries please call 0171 873 0011. Copies may also be obtained from The Stationery Office Bookshops listed below or through book sellers; 123 Kingsway, London WC2B 6PQ (Tel: 0171 242 6393) 71 Lothian Road, EDINBURGH EH3 9AZ (Tel: 0131 228 4181) 9-21 Princess Street, MANCHESTER M60 8AS (Tel: 0161 834 7201) 33 Wine Street, Wine Street, BRISTOL BS1 2BQ (Tel: 0117 926 4306) 68/69 Bull Street, BIRMINGHAM B4 6AD (Tel: 0121-236-9696) The Stationery Office Oriel Bookshop, The Friary, CARDIFF CF1 4AA (Tel: 01222-395548) 16 Arthur Street, BELFAST BT1 4GD (Tel: 01232-238451) Note: Some of the regulations listed may not be available from The Stationery Office Bookshops because they are amending regulations which have been revoked. These regulations have been included only if their effects are still in force. However it may be possible to obtain copies of revoked legislation from good reference libraries. This document is issued by:- Food Standards Agency Division I, JFSSG, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Room 306c, Ergon House, c/o Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR. (Telephone 0345-573012 - calls will be charged at the local rate or Fax 0171-238- 6330). * Previously called Her Majesty’s Stationery Office (HMSO) FSAD |, JFSSG December 1998 (Sie asia’ brie waiaee ofg io as baiei h tp malian bog basiieo? at peachyis — . sg: -n o wiante 2 TehAu shen anoieluge wen bre ‘oeet 1A: | 7 He Hagel oF /tavinp ortB o neve eanwrerita ai tia eelnu mista year b&e)eY ah hats a seein ies wo ni Betnemetqini 1s aslut OF rroiriw.a siete « | Bid otc AW cals eolug atT espeq gniwollot- ert no belzil AT Home thos® to Boe nf is nottennate. yedthut: Aor sisted aviqier! erwengd Deo ~~ ext! uci eben od ed 2 stat isool aut? te wo ot buyrarto edt ti ha Woyv ane ovine ror _— lmoneo & ¢ yino bebneint 98 @eton an ae soit to shoo 46 soelupeR ‘Tek saa atshqorgds ent iran Vae =a ie Sie a5 AEG Teal’ ponent sd yarn Ineimmaob sit ni at benster noitstaigel rit to ‘iced The ewe vt OGA CH BYR 208 OF “sined enoileoildys soitd coma a INTO 00 Dekel 0 OBORS7S-P 550 gnilica yd beosiq ed ysm e7ebi0¢ : ee ? TEGO EV 1\TO Nso-saselg eehhupne isieneg wa. a bate 2qorledoe soit) wianvite3 ont mont veniehio ed cals yer 2 :219\le2 Aood Aguorit 1 oe ay i ee i a aa Lis; (WRGA TER MLC WUT) FO BSDW Hobries yswegnim esr Hyei n (eStp 29s EEO tT) SAG S43 HORUSYIND bse nsidioTst . (POS) Mla 200 Sat) SMa BOM PATEAHOMAM Joowe exsonnG the. ; IG0Sh OLE The datees) re e JOTSING do90z aniW towne sniw SE - re °e (RQROORS. 154 det) OFS 2S MAMOMJIooMue AIvIa Eas d a As E32) ROAD <yamin? et? sallnticemctdaried arrgd ao (SPVeve-Cesea AO Fy, cr ho (eaeenante men age r79.TaA38 Je soi) Wenoihat? 2 aio en be fgets it? Canove) oad a a aveworH wont a ite om a ba ghG OI oe maTSi ad i airy PART 1: FOOD SAFETY ACT 1990 (CHAPTER 16) A. GENERAL The main provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990 came into force on 1 January 1991. The Act covers Great Britain and provides the framework for all its food legislation. B. KEY PROVISIONS OF THE FOOD SAFETY ACT 1990 PART |: PRELIMINARY Section 1 defines "food" and other basic expressions used in the Act such as "food business", "food premises" and "food source". Section 2 extends the meaning of sale to include food supplied in the course of a business and Section 3 sets out presumptions applying to food and food ingredients, for instance that food commonly used for human consumption found on certain food premises is presumed to be intended for sale. PART Il: MAIN PROVISIONS Section 7 describes the offence of rendering food injurious to health and Section 8 sets out the offence of selling or possessing for sale food that does not comply with food safety requirements. This is food that has been rendered injurious to health, which is unfit for human consumption or is so contaminated that it would not be reasonable to expect it to be used for human consumption. Section 8 also states that if any part of a batch of food does not comply with food safety requirements the whole batch is presumed not to comply, unless the contrary is proved. Section 14 makes it an offence to sell food which is not of the "nature or substance or quality" demanded by the purchaser and Section 15 creates an offence of falsely describing, advertising or presenting food. General Enforcement Provisions Section 9 of the Food Safety Act gives enforcement officers powers to inspect any food intended for human consumption and to detain and seize food suspected of not complying with food safety requirements. It allows a Justice of the Peace to condemn food when he or she is satisfied that food safety requirements are not met. Section 10 provides for improvement notices to be issued where food hygiene or food processing regulations have been contravened. Section 117 provides for prohibition orders to be issued by the courts where there is a risk of injury to health and the proprietor of the food business has been convicted of an offence under food hygiene or food processing regulations. Section 12 provides emergency prohibition powers for use by authorised officers where there is an imminent risk of injury to health. Section 13 gives Ministers powers to make emergency control orders prohibiting commercial operations in relation to food, food sources or contact materials when there is an imminent risk of such food causing such injury to health. Defences Section 20 enables an enforcement authority to "by-pass" the immediate offender and to prosecute the real offender. Section 21 provides for a defence if defendants can prove to a court that they took all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence to avoid committing an offence. The defendant is deemed to have satisfied this due diligence defence in certain circumstances. These deemed due diligence defences are not available to a defendant who manufactured or imported the food. Section 22 contains a special defence for businesses which publish an advertisement in good faith. FSAD |, JFSSG December 1998 Part 1: Food Safety Act 1990 (Chapter 16) PART Ill: ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT Section 32 sets out who may enter premises to enforce the Act and explains what they can do while on premises. It also makes unauthorised disclosure of information obtained when using such powers an offence. Section 33 makes it an offence intentionally to obstruct a person enforcing the Act or to provide false or misleading information. Section 34 provides time limits for prosecutions. Penalties and Modes of Trial Section 35 sets out the penalties for offences. For most offences a Crown Court may impose a prison sentence of up to two years and/or unlimited fines. Magistrates’ Courts generally may impose a fine of up to £5,000 and a prison sentence of up to six months. For the most serious offences Magistrates' Courts may impose a maximum fine of £20,000. Magistrates’ Courts may also impose penalties for obstructing an enforcement officer. In Scotland equivalent penalties may be imposed by the Sheriff. Section 36 provides that someone in authority in a corporate body is liable for prosecution where they are proved to have acted negligently or consented to the alleged offence. Sections 37 and 39 provide for appeals against decision of an enforcement authority to serve an improvement notice, and to refuse certificates under Section 11(6) or 12(8). The appeal is to a Magistrates’ Court or, in Scotland, to the Sheriff, and further appeals are available to the Crown Court for the cases referred to in Section 38. Offences against regulations and mode of trial may be detailed in the individual regulations having effect under the Act. Penalties and modes of trial in individual regulations having effect under the Act have been altered by specific penalty Regulations. These are the Food (Revision of Penalties) Regulations 1982 and the Milk and Dairies (Revision of Penalties) Regulations 1982 which lay down the mode of trial and the Food (Revision of Penalties) Regulations 1985 and the Milk and Dairies (Revision of Penalties) Regulations 1985 which lay down the maximum fines for summary convictions for offences under the regulations. Existing regulations with offences and penalties have also been amended by Consequential Modifications Orders made under the Act (see pages 4 and 5). PART IV: MISCELLANEOUS AND SUPPLEMENTAL Section 54 provides for the Act to apply to the Crown and to Crown premises subject to special arrangements and certain exemptions. The Section came into effect on 1 April 1992. Section 55 amends the Water Act 1989 to extend its controls on the quality of water used for domestic purposes to cover water used in food production. C. STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS IMPLEMENTING THE FOOD SAFETY ACT 1990 S] Number 1990 No 1383 THE FOOD SAFETY ACT 1990 (COMMENCEMENT (C40) NO 1) ORDER 1990 brought into force new powers for Ministers to use in emergencies, with effect from 29 June 1990; 1990 No2372 = THEFOOD SAFETY ACT 1990 (COMMENCEMENT (C62) NO 2) ORDER 1990 brought into force the main provisions of the Act on 1 January 1991 and Section 54 which extends scope to the Crown with effect from 1 April 1992; FSAD I, JFSSG December 1998