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The Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) controversial plans to publish audits of approved meat plants have gone ahead, with the first audits published on its website on January 16th.
More than 200 audits on meat processing plants in England, Scotland and Wales have been completed since November 2011, and around the same number will be published by the FSA at the end of each month.
The audits are being published to ensure that food business operators are complying with legal requirements, and meeting the relevant standards for the interests of public health, animal health and the quality of welfare in slaughterhouses. Audited food business operators have 28 days to appeal the results before they are published on the FSA’s website.
Transparency to Maintain High Standards
Tim Smith, chief executive of the FSA, said: “We think it’s important that people have access to this type of information; it shows not only the FSA’s commitment to publishing all useful information, but we hope publication will also help businesses to maintain high standards in this vital food sector.”
The regularity with which plants are audited can range from once a month, to every eight months, depending on the risk to public health, or animal health and welfare that the plant is deemed to have.
It is illegal for a meat processing plant, slaughterhouse, cutting plant or game handling establishment to operate before the FSA has given its full approval. At present, 1,200 approved plants are in operation in Great Britain.
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