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(External) Keeping food safe

To help avoid food poisoning, it's important to make sure the food you make is safe to eat. Get tips from NHS Choices on preparing food safely.

Policy & advice

The Food Standards Agency carries out a range of work to make sure food is safe to eat, including funding research on chemical, microbiological and radiological safety, as well as food hygiene and allergy.

The details of our day-to-day work on safety and hygiene, including policy, business and our research programmes are set out below. A guide to the main general food law requirements, including the provisions on food safety , is in the food industries section of this website.

For consumer advice on food allergy, hygiene tips on storing and preparing food at home, plus information about food poisoning, visit NHS Choices: just click on the panel on the right.

Policy & advice News

Research call: Listeria control during sliced meat production

Wednesday 23 May 2012

Street parties without red tape

Tuesday 22 May 2012

More about Policy & advice

Acrylamide

Acrylamide: your questions answered

Additives or E numbers

Current EU approved additives and their E Numbers | Food additives legislation guidance notes | EFSA assessment of the safety of authorised colours | Food colours and hyperactivity | Aspartame | Steviol glycosides | High caffeine energy drinks

Allergy and intolerance

Allergy Alerts | Food allergen labelling | Food intolerance and allergy research | Guidance for food businesses on allergy and intolerance | Peanuts during pregnancy, breastfeeding and early childhood

BSE and other Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies

BSE controls explained | BSE Controls Breaches | BSE research | Cutting plants authorised to remove SRM | About BSE and other TSEs | Cow aged over 72 months enters food supply without being tested for BSE

Bisphenol-A (BPA)

Is BPA in food harmful? | Why are some people concerned about BPA? | Are there rules to protect consumers? | I have read about some people’s concerns about BPA in the press. Does the Agency share these concerns? | Where can I get more information?

Food Hygiene Rating Schemes

Frequently asked questions about food hygiene ratings | Resources for local authorities joining the national scheme for England, Wales and Northern Ireland | 'Local' food hygiene rating schemes in the UK | UK-wide Food Hygiene Ratings Steering Group | Background to Food Hygiene Ratings Schemes | Guidance on safeguards and standard forms for businesses

Food poisoning

Campylobacter | Flooding: food safety advice | Foodborne disease strategy | Labelling powdered infant formula as 'non-sterile' | Listeria | Measuring foodborne illness levels

GM foods

Evaluating GM foods | GM labelling | GM material in animal feed | GM teaching tools | National Reference Laboratory for GM food and feed appointed

How to complain

Complaints and comments | Search for a local authority

Irradiated food

What is food irradiation? | Is food irradiation safe? | Does food irradiation change the food in any way? | Which categories of foods may be irradiated and sold in the UK? | Can irradiated food be imported into the UK? | What methods of food irradiation are permitted? | Where are foods irradiated? | How do I know if a food has been irradiated? | What checks are carried out? | Is it safe to eat food that has been through a X-ray scanner, for example at airports? | How do I store or handle irradiated food?

Mycotoxins

About mycotoxins | Mycotoxins: frequently asked questions | Mycotoxins legislation | Mycotoxins guidance and advice for industry and enforcement bodies | Mycotoxins in animal feed

Nanotechnology

Nanotechnologies and Food Discussion Group | Nanotechnology-enabled foods and food contact materials on the UK market | Regulatory advice relating to nanotechnology-enabled foods or food contact materials

Novel foods

Regulation of novel food | Novel food assessments | Cloned animals | Nanotechnology

Packaging and food contact materials

Food contact materials: your questions answered | Legislation controlling contaminants in food and food irradiation: Explanatory note | Guide to materials and articles in contact with food

Pesticides

Radioactivity in food

Radioactivity in food: your questions answered | Radiological safety of food research | Radiological surveillance

Review of official controls delivery

Review of official controls delivery: frequently asked questions | Official Controls Review Consultative Group | Official Controls Review External Advisory Group

Veterinary medicines

Frequently asked questions about veterinary medicines | Glossary of terms | Surveillance of residues | Veterinary medicines consumer research

Safety and hygiene research

The Agency's research programmes on safety and hygiene

Safety and hygiene research, go

Safety and hygiene committees

Expert groups that advise the Agency

Safety and hygiene committees, go

Safety and hygiene publications

Leaflets and posters on safety and hygiene topics

Safety and hygiene publications, go

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