Changes to food business approval process

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is today contacting relevant groups about important changes to the approvals process for establishments that require approval under European Union food or feed hygiene legislation.

A High Court judgement and Judicial Review established that premises that have changed food business operator (FBO) since January 2006, and those that do so in future, require a new approval in order to operate. More on the judgement and review can be found at the links below.

The ruling applies to all approved establishments, such as slaughterhouses, fish processing establishments and game handling establishments, whether or not the nature of their business has changed.

To allow time for interested parties to adjust to the ruling, the Agency plans to implement changes to its approval process from 31 January 2012. In the meantime, the Agency will be contacting establishments, for which it has responsibility and that have changed FBO since 2006, to make arrangements for new approval applications and, after January 2012, reassessment. The Agency has also written to other relevant enforcement authorities throughout the UK to advise them of the action it is taking.

The Agency is advising businesses, for which it has responsibility and that have changed food business operator since 2006 without being reapproved, that they may continue to operate until the required approval visit and use their existing approval number after a successful reassessment. Changes to ownership after 31 January 2012 may, however, require a new approval number, unless business activities remain substantially the same.

Businesses that have changed FBO since being approved, and those that do so in the future, should inform their enforcement authority at the earliest opportunity.