FSA and industry agree to publish testing programme

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has agreed with the food industry to publish the results of industry testing of meat products, to provide a clearer picture of standards in the food chain. The results will also be made publicly available.

The decision was taken at a meeting to address how testing can maintain consumer confidence in the accuracy of food labelling, attended by Food and Farming Minister David Heath, representatives of the FSA, and major food businesses and suppliers.

Catherine Brown, Chief Executive of the FSA, said: ‘I am pleased that we have been able to agree a way forward to maintain consumer confidence in the food that people eat. We need to move swiftly to get this work under way to reassure consumers.’

Food and Farming Minister David Heath said: ‘This is a shared problem, and it needs shared solutions. Food businesses’ agreement to give regular updates on meat testing is a significant move that will give consumers confidence in what they’re buying. It’s now important that the industry starts sharing this information as soon as possible.’

The FSA and the food industry will now agree a standardised sampling and testing system which will meet accredited standards and test to an agreed level of DNA.