Audit of food law enforcement controls of imported food not of animal origin

Monday 11 July 2011

The Food Standards Agency has carried out a programme of focused audits of local authorities and port health authorities, which looked specifically at their arrangements for controls on imported food (and, where relevant, imported feed).

The audits of local authorities with ports considered imported food of non-animal origin. However, the audits of inland local authorities considered imported food of non-animal origin and products of animal origin.

The audit summary report, which is available at the link below, summarises the key findings and recommendations of the programme of audits covering 15 local authorities/port health authorities in England, carried out between September 2010 and January 2011. The report also includes findings from audit assessments of a further 26 local authorities including some with smaller ports in their area to ascertain effectiveness of imported food controls. Reference is also made to similar checks carried out by the Agency in Scotland and Wales. Relevant good practice seen during the audit programme has also been identified.

The individual audit reports that are available for the 15 authorities that participated in the audit programme can be found under the 'See also' heading below.