Food Act guidance: practice notes and other supporting guidance

This document explains when and how to use unannounced verifications, and how they differ from unscheduled verifications.

This document explains when and how to use unscheduled verifications, and how they differ from unannounced verifications.

This document sets out guidance for verifiers on how to determine verification topic results, and how these contribute to a verification outcome.

This Practice Note provides a high-level summary of conducting and following up on a verification, it supports the learning of Verification: what you need to know and Verification: Guidance for your visit and sets out guidance for verifiers on topic selection & how to plan for, conduct, and follow-up effectively and efficiently on a verification.

This document sets out guidance for verifiers on determining:
• Whether a business is expected to have recall procedures and undertake simulated recalls to test the effectiveness of
these procedures
• What evidence is needed to show that the food recall or simulated recall was effective.

This document sets out guidance for verifiers and registration authorities on how to escalate and manage an
unacceptable verification outcome, so that appropriate actions can be taken to resolve the identified issue(s).

This document sets out guidance for Territorial Authorities (TAs) on some of the areas in which they can make provision for cost recovery in their fees and charges under the Food Act 2014. For territorial authorities. Intended audience: territorial authority staff, regulatory managers with food safety oversight.

This document sets out guidance for Territorial Authorities on how to handle Voluntary and Mandatory Suspension of Operations under Food Control Plan (FCP) or National Programme (NP). It examines how these measures affect verification and registration. Intended audience: territorial authorities, registration authorities, verification agencies.

This document sets out guidance for Registration Authorities outside of MPI on setting conditions of registration for food businesses under the Food Act 2014. Intended audience: registration authority staff.

Subject: This document sets out guidance for Territorial Authorities considering shared service agreements to manage functions, duties and powers under the Food Act 2014. Intended audience: territorial authorities, registration authorities.

This document provides guidance for registration authorities to assist Third Party Verifiers (TPV) in ensuring food businesses are verified within appropriate time frames. Intended audience: registration authorities, verification agencies, verifiers.

This document sets out guidance for Territorial Authorities on which tasks can be contracted out under the Food Act 2014 and those functions where contracts with third parties are prohibited. Intended audience: registration authorities, territorial authorities.

This document sets out guidance on how to manage potentially illicit online food sales. It provides some guidance on processes that Territorial Authority (TA) Food Safety Officers (FSO) can consider when investigating these issues. Intended audience: food safety officers.

This document sets out guidance on which powers may be exercised by Food Safety Officers (FSO) appointed under the Food Act 2014 and contrasts those with the powers available to pre-commencement Food Safety Officers also known as Food Act Officers (FAO) employed by Territorial Authorities and Local authority inspectors. Intended audience: food safety officers.

This document sets out guidance on how to manage those businesses that fail to re-register at the appropriate time. It is intended to facilitate national consistency. Intended audience: registration authorities, food safety officers.