17 May 2007, 13:16 PM
  • More than 1,300 food incidents were investigated by the Food Standard Agency (FSA) in 2006, the FSA's first Annual Report of Incidents has revealed.

The publication aims at highlighting the need for food business operators and enforcement authorities to report incidents in order to construct a more accurate picture of food and environmental contamination in the UK.

Andrew Wadge, FSA chief scientist and director of food safety, says, “This report shows in an accessible way how the agency responded to the incident reports received in 2006 and highlights how consumer interest was protected, based on that information. It stresses the need for all stakeholders to work in partnership to improve incident handling systems and encourages more comprehensive reporting. A better information base will help us take more appropriate and proportionate action and, over time, provide a valuable resource for everyone concerned with food safety.”

When incidents are reported, the FSA investigations can lead to actions being taken to protect consumers. Last year, it translated into 81 Food Alerts being issued to local authorities and 478 notifications to the European Commission through the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed.

The agency, which is the main body for handling widespread accidental and deliberate contamination of food, has been formed in 2000. However, it is only since the introduction of a new Agency-wide incidents database, in summer 2005, that it is able to carry out a detailed analysis of the incident data.