Guidance on the 2006 food hygiene legislation

New EU food hygiene regulations have applied since 1 January 2006.

The FSA has produced a number of guidance documents, which can be accessed from this page, to the new regulations to help food businesses understand the legal requirements with which they will have to comply. The advice on this page is likely to be expanded as more guidance becomes available.

Below can be found brief descriptions of the different sorts of guidance currently available.

It should be stressed that some of these documents are published as 'working drafts' and are liable to amendment early in 2006.

FSA guidance on the requirements of food hygiene legislation and the Summary Guides
This is a main general guidance to the law and three summary guides to the law for certain food sectors. These should be read together with the EU and national legislation.

Guidance on the requirements of the Microbiological Criteria Regulation
See the link at the bottom of the page to read this guidance. The Agency is planning to review this guidance after 12 months to take account of the experience of applying this regulation and is inviting comments on the practical application of the regulation and the guidance up to 31 December 2006.

Food Law Code of Practice and Practice Guidance for England
The Statutory Code of Practice and Practice Guidance have been amended in the light of the new legislation.

Draft Guide to Food Hygiene and Other Regulations for the Meat Industry
The Agency has also produced a guide for the meat industry. The guide has been produced to assist UK meat plant operators whose premises require approval and veterinary control under the European Union Food Hygiene Regulations.

Guidance produced by the DHI and the EMI
Links are provided below to information for enforcement practitioners from the Dairy Hygiene Inspectorate and the Egg Marketing Inspectorate respectively.

Guidance from the European Commission on various aspects of the legislation
HACCP guidance: this document is mainly directed at food businesses and enforcement practitioners with the aim of giving guidance on the implementation of procedures based on the HACCP principles and on flexibility with regard to the implementation of such procedures, especially in small businesses.

Guidance on Regulations 852/2004 and 853/2004: these documents are directed mainly at food businesses and enforcement practitioners with the aim of giving guidance on the implementation of the new food hygiene requirements and on related subjects.

Guide to imports: this document is directed at competent authorities and food businesses and aims to give guidance on certain key questions with regard to the implementation of the new legislation�s import requirements.