The UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued a new food law Code of Practice for England, which took effect yesterday. Officials said the Code is subject to an ongoing review process to reflect developments in enforcement policy and the changing nature of the food industry.

The most recent changes include:

• clarification of the descriptors used to rate and assign intervention frequencies at food establishments;
• greater focus on businesses with persistent or serious non compliances by reducing the frequency of interventions in those businesses with good management controls in place
• a reduction in dual enforcement in a small number of establishments currently subject to both FSA and LA control.

The Food Law Code of Practice may be downloaded (1 MB pdf) here. The Code's Table of Contents, as well as links to the Feed Law Code of Practice, and the Food Law Codes of Practice for Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales may be found on the FSA website.

Agency officials said they are "keen to develop this [Code] to suit your needs," and invited anyone who has suggestions on how the FSA can improve the functionality of these pages to contact the Agency via e-mail: CodeReviewResponses@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk