Online recall reporting system launched

By Ahmed ElAmin

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Fsa Food standards agency European union

A new reporting system launched today for food and feed recalls in
the UK is designed to help businesses comply with safety
regulations.

The system, launched by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) allows food and animal feed businesses to notify the regulator through an online portal if they need to recall or withdraw products. "Assisting food and feed businesses to tell us about new incidents, helps them comply with their statutory obligations under Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, to withdraw unsafe food or feed from the market,"​ the FSA stated. "In addition, it has helped the agency meet its strategic target of achieving more comprehensive reporting of incidents."​ Improved incident reports help us gauge risk to the public, gives us and local authorities more information to act and increases consumer protection. The FSA first launched an online incident report form for industry in January 2005. Following a recommendation from the UK's food incidents taskforce, the agency revised the online incident form, following comments from industry and others. The new reporting system, which has a secure login feature, allows users to save and print the data they are submitting about new food incidents and products known to be affected. For each report sent to the FSA, the business will be provided with an automatic electronic receipt and an individual reference number. The FSA's incidents unit will verify all information received, to ensure its authenticity. After verification, the information will be automatically included in the agency's incidents database. "This will greatly improve the handling and bringing together of food incident information, particularly where long lists of products need to be sent to the agency,"​ the FSA stated. The information provided will enable the FSA to monitor food and feed safety patterns across the UK, and take a strategic view, the regulator stated. The EU requires that food and feed businesses withdraw food or feed from the market if products are not in compliance with the safety requirements of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002. The law came into effect in 2005. Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 lays down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishes the European Food Safety Authority and lays down procedures in matters of food safety. The FSA online incident report form for industry is located at: https://incidents.foodapps.co.uk/IncidentReportForm/login.aspx

Related topics Regulation