title: Food safety: action to protect the consumer.
abstract: Food safety issues have been headline news frequently in recent years. A review of food legislation was started in 1984 and led to the Food Safety Act 1990. This Act, which may prove to be the last major piece of independent British food law, provides food authorities with new powers to prevent the distribution of contaminated food and ensure that proper practices are being carried out by food businesses, and establishes a registration system for food businesses. Other developments include a new system for the inspection of food premises and plans to introduce a requirement for hygiene training for food handlers. The process of European harmonisation will require a further series of changes--forthcoming proposals provide for quality standards for laboratories, and more frequent inspection requirements covering a wide range of products.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jacob
mesh_terms: D003257:Consumer Product Safety / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005511:Food Handling / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005525:Food-Processing Industry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D006113:United Kingdom