Meat and meat hygiene

The Food Standards Agency is responsible for meat inspection duties in fresh meat premises in England, Scotland and Wales. It is the role of Agency to help ensure that the meat industry safeguards the health of the public, and the health and welfare of animals at slaughter.

To achieve this, the FSA delivers 'official controls' in approved fresh meat premises. The FSA is the central competent authority in the UK responsible for carrying out official controls. These controls require specified inspections of all animals, carcasses and offal through risk-based audits to verify that approved fresh meat premises comply with EU Food Hygiene Regulations.

The FSA also undertakes official controls on behalf of Defra on animal health and welfare (see link below) to ensure compliance with legislative requirements.

The FSA carries out these controls in slaughterhouses, cutting plants, farmed and wild game facilities and co-located minced meat and meat products premises. The FSA has a statutory duty to provide these services on demand, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, throughout England, Scotland and Wales.