Food Standards Agency to Lose Labelling Role

The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) will be relieved of its responsibilities for nutrition and labelling, with the government leaving the agency to focus on food safety.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said the agency would have a “renewed focus” on food safety, with nutrition and labelling policy going to the Department of Health and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The FSA will keep its responsibilities for nutrition and labelling in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, Lansley said.

The FSA was set up in 2000 as an independent food safety watchdog in the wake of a number of outbreaks and deaths from foodborne illnesses.