Despite some stakeholders raising concerns about the plans, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) continues to investigate a new form of food hygiene regulation for large, national companies.
At an FSA board meeting this week, members were informed of the results of a trial in England involving Aldi, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose over the past year. The project saw retailers provide monthly data to the FSA and their primary authority in areas including refrigeration processes, pest control and cleaning.
Under the current system, supermarket properties receive a planned inspection by the municipality every few years. Large companies would be regulated as a whole if the plans go ahead.
The Council said national-level regulations could provide additional oversight of food safety controls in some businesses that serve many customers. Further details will be presented at the next meeting in December.
Professor Susan Jebb, chair of the FSA, said: “The trial evidence presented to us suggests that these ideas will give us access to more food hygiene data and, more often, complement the existing inspection regime. The administration has asked officials to engage with governments, local authorities, businesses and other stakeholders and report back to us in December with a comprehensive plan for next steps.”
Setbacks to plans
Nearly 60 responses were received before the board meeting, with many people opposing the move to national-level regulation and questioning the use of self-regulation, internal audits and external controls.rty assurance data to demonstrate compliance.
The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH), the professional body representing Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, said the proposals raise concerns about consumer confidence, public health and transparency.
CIEH said there is a danger that food safety controls will be weakened, endangering public health and undermining consumer confidence in the way food is regulated or food safety issues are dealt with.
Fran McCloskey, CEO of CIEH, said: “CIEH is committed to ensuring that any regulatory changes maintain or improve our high food safety standards. We recognize the importance of regulatory modernization, but we are concerned that the lack of robust evidence and meaningful consultation with stakeholders could result in proposals that do not deliver for consumers.”
Professor Chris Elliott, vice president at CIEH, said: “I am concerned that without careful consideration, these reforms could weaken the systems we rely on to ensure food quality and safety. We cannot lose sight of the crucial role that strong regulatory oversight from local authorities plays in maintaining public confidence in the way we regulate food and protect consumer welfare.”
Outbreak updates
Meanwhile, updates have been shared on various outbreak investigations.
By August, 290 cases had been reported in an E. coli O145 outbreak. Two people died and there were nine cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).
Consumers reported eating prepackaged sandwiches, with the most common raw material being apollo leaf lettuce. This led to a recall in June of several products linked to one British supplier. The investigation into the cause of the outbreak is still ongoing.
Another outbreak of E. coli O145 was linked to unpasteurised dairy cheeses produced by Mrs Kirkham’s in Lancashire. Patients became ill between July and December 2023.
In late July 2024, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) notified the FSA of four new cases between June and July, bringing the number of sick people to 40, including two deaths. One of these deaths was part of the latest update.
Although there is a microbiological link between the latest patients and previous cases, research has not shown any link in the food chain between them and Ms Kirkham’s products.
FSA and the UKHSA are also investigating an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes that has caused two deaths and three confirmed infections.
Cases have been linked to by Real Wrap Co. delivered sandwiches sent to hospitals and with food and environmental samples taken at the production site. A recall and withdrawal was carried out in June.
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