Food safety standards organisation changes charging rates

More businesses may require new food hygiene training after a leading industry organisation announced a shake-up to the system.

Later this month, the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) will bring into force a new guide on food hygiene inspection charges, which will be applicable to all operators of approved meat premises.

The British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) supported the reasons behind the change, but suggested to FoodProductionDaily.com that the FSA should cut its operational costs before imposing the plan.

As an expensive public service that enjoys a monopoly, the FSA should not seek to fund its costly maintenance through charging industry players, the BMPA added.

The charges guide document justifies the FSA's reasons and explains how they are calculated.

It also provides information regarding how often food business operators will be billed and details how they can appeal against charges brought against them.

Yesterday (March 3rd), the FSA published its Food and You survey, which revealed that 41 per cent of Britons wash poultry and raw meat despite the organisation advising against doing so.