Stakeholders in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are being invited to comment on the updated Food Standards Agency (FSA) Technical Guidance on food allergen labelling and information requirements. The updates reflect changes to allergen labelling legislation in England which comes into effect on 1 October 2021.
The legislative changes were brought in late last year after a UK-wide consultation following the tragic death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse that was caused by sesame in a pre-packed sandwich. These changes are supported by Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, where similar requirements are likely to be introduced in the future.
From 1 October 2021, food which is prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) must have the key allergens emphasised on it. The definition of PPDS food was set out in the consultation that took place last year.
The FSA has revised its existing technical guidance to reflect the legislative changes, as well as some additional updates. The views and comments from stakeholders are being sought until 6 March 2020. A summary of responses will be published on the FSA website within three months of the consultation end date.
The consultation is most relevant to those offering PPDS food for sale, peak bodies, enforcement agencies and others wanting to know more about England’s new allergen labelling laws for PPDS food.
See the UK FSA website for more information, including a copy of the consultation pack.
