Thursday, 12 October 2017

The FSAI today published its annual report outlining its key activities for 2016 which highlight the significant outputs delivered across its core regulatory functions to strive to protect public health in relation to food. The FSAI safeguards public health through effective regulation of the food industry which it carries out in partnership with the official agencies who work under a service contract arrangement.

The key highlights and achievements in 2016 include:

• 39 food alerts issued which is the highest number of food alerts in ten years. The food alerts resulted in product recalls or withdrawals from the Irish market for a range of reasons including presence of foreign bodies, pathogens (bugs) or chemical contamination.
• 28 food allergen alerts were issued. In Ireland, milk, soybeans, eggs and nuts were the most common allergens incorrectly labelled or declared in 2016.
• Some 49,404 food businesses were under the supervision of official agencies under service contract to the FSAI, representing a small (0.65%) increase since 2015.
• 106 Enforcement Orders were served on food businesses for breaches in food safety legislation. The Enforcement Orders were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive and by veterinary inspectors from the local authorities This included 94 Closure Orders, 3 Improvement Orders and 9 Prohibition Orders served on food businesses.
• The Advice Line handled 10,497 queries from a wide range of requesters, including consumers; people working in the food service sector; manufacturers; retailers; researchers and consultants. Of these 3,202 related to complaints by consumers in relation to food, food premises and/or food labelling.
• 2,625 food supplements were assessed for safety and health claims.
• The FSAI orchestrates and oversees sampling and testing of foodstuffs for compliance with all aspects of food legislation. Over 56,588 samples were sampled and tested in 2016.
• 166 risk assessments were carried out providing scientific basis to underpin risk management decisions.
• 34 suspected breaches of food law and food fraud were investigated.

According to Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI, 2016 marked the first year of the FSAI’s strategy for 2016 – 2018 which sets out a significant road map for the organisation for these three years. The strategy identifies a number of ambitious strategic goals, each underpinned with a set of clearly defined objectives – all of which will lead to a series of important outcomes that will continue to position the FSAI at the forefront of regulating a rapidly changing and evolving food industry.

     "At its core, our strategy’s vision is to continually ensure safe and trustworthy food for everyone. We seek to focus on protecting consumers through leading a collaborative food safety community to continuously raise food standards and create a culture of excellence in Ireland where the food industry not only complies with the regulations, but seeks to exceed standards,” Dr Byrne concludes.

Food Safety Authority of Ireland - Annual Report 2016

Udaras Sabhailteachta Bia Na hEireann - Tuarascail Bhliantuil 2016