Working with the meat industry
The Food Standards Agency is responsible for meat inspection duties in fresh meat premises in England, Scotland and Wales. It is the role of Agency to help ensure that the meat industry safeguards the health of the public, and the health and welfare of animals at slaughter.
To achieve this, the FSA delivers 'official controls' in approved fresh meat premises. The FSA is the central competent authority in the UK responsible for carrying out official controls. These controls require specified inspections of all animals, carcasses and offal through risk-based audits to verify that approved fresh meat premises comply with EU Food Hygiene Regulations.
The FSA also undertakes official controls on behalf of Defra on animal health and welfare (see link below) to ensure compliance with legislative requirements.
The FSA carries out these controls in slaughterhouses, cutting plants, farmed and wild game facilities and co-located minced meat and meat products premises. The FSA has a statutory duty to provide these services on demand, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, throughout England, Scotland and Wales.
For information about the Meat Hygiene Service, which merged with the FSA on 1 April 2010, see the meat and meat hygiene archive.
External links The Food Standards Agency has no responsibility for the content of external websites
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How the FSA works with the meat industry
The Food Standards Agency operational workforce protects public health and animal welfare in approved premises in Britain.
Manual for Official Controls
The Manual for Official Controls provides details of the tasks, responsibilities and duties Food Standards Agency (FSA) staff and veterinary contractors undertake in approved establishments.
Guide to charges for official controls
The Food Standards Agency provides a range of services in approved meat premises across Great Britain. Some of these services are currently paid for by other Government departments, for example, checks on animal by product controls. Other services are charged to food business operators (FBOs).
Newsletter for meat industry food business operators
The FSA is committed to keeping the operators of food businesses, such as slaughterhouses and cutting plants, up to date with current and topical issues which may be of interest, including those of an operational or legislative nature.
Meat operations delivery annual report
The FSA Operations Group has reported on its meat operations delivery for the period 2010/11. This report gives a comprehensive overview of how official controls are delivered in meat premises.