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Food Safety Act 1990

1990 c. 16 · Enacted 29 June 1990 · Extends to United Kingdom

Not fully up to date. 8 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 1 October 2026.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
s. 35(1)words substitutedCriminal Justice Act 2003 Sch. 26 para. 42
s. 26(2)(f)repealedTribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 Sch. 23 Pt. 1
s. 47repealedTribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 Sch. 23 Pt. 1
s. 26(2)(e)words insertedTribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 Sch. 8 para. 13(2)(a)
s. 37(2)words substitutedTribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 Sch. 8 para. 13(3)
s. 37(2)(a)repealedTribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 Sch. 23 Pt. 1
s. 26(2)(e)words repealedTribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 Sch. 8 para. 13(2)(b) Sch. 32 Pt. 1
s. 34appliedFood Additives 2009 reg. 16(4)

An Act to make new provision in place of the Food Act 1984 (except Parts III and V), the Food and Drugs (Scotland) Act 1956 and certain other enactments relating to food; to amend Parts III and V of the said Act of 1984 and Part I of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985; and for connected purposes.

[29th June 1990]

C1E1BE IT ENACTED by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—C2C3C4C5C6C7

Annotations to the whole text

Modifications

C1

Act restricted (E.W.S.) by Weights and Measures Act 1985 (c. 72, SIF 131), s. 93 (as amended by Food Safety Act 1990 (c. 16, SIF 53:1, 2), ss. 54, 59(1), Sch. 3 para. 33)

Act amended (1.4.2000) by 1999 c. 28, s. 14(9) (with ss. 15, 38); S.I. 2000/1066, art. 2

Act applied (with modifications) (1.4.2000) by 1999 c. 28, s. 36(4) (with s. 38); S.I. 2000/1066, art. 2

Act: amended (temp from 11.11.1999 to 2.12.1999) by 1999 c. 28, s. 43(4) (with s. 38); S.I. 1999/3208, art. 2

Act: (except s. 54(4) and subject to entry in Sch. 1) transfer of functions (1.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/672, art. 2, Sch. 1

Act: transfer of functions (27.12.1999 subject to art. 3 of the S.I.) by S.I. 1999/3141, art. 2(6)

C2

Act modified (E.) (6.4.2010) by The Portsmouth Port Health Authority Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/1217), arts. 1(1), 4, Sch.

C3

Act modified (E.) (6.4.2010) by The Bristol Port Health Authority Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/1214), arts. 1, 4, Sch.

C4

Act modified (E.) (6.4.2010) by The Cowes Port Health Authority Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/1216), arts. 1(1), 4, Sch.

C5

Act power to apply for certain purposes conferred (S.) (1.4.2015) by Food (Scotland) Act 2015 (asp 1), ss. 35, 63(2) (with s. 62); S.S.I. 2015/99, art. 2

C6

Act functions transferred and modified (E.) (14.6.2016) by The River Tees Port Health Authority Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/644), arts. 1(1), 9, Sch. 2

C7

Act: functions etc. assigned to the Port Health Authority (7.11.2024) by The London Port Health Authority Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/1161), arts. 1(1), 4(2), Sch. (with arts. 4(3), 5(2))

Extent

E1

Act except specified provisions does not extend to Northern Ireland see s. 60(5)

Contents

  1. Part I: PRELIMINARY
  2. 1Meaning of “food” and other basic expressions.
  3. 2Extended meaning of “sale” etc.
  4. 3Presumptions that food intended for human consumption.
  5. 4Ministers having functions under Act. Repealed
  6. 5Food authorities and authorised officers.
  7. 6Enforcement of Act.
  8. Part II: MAIN PROVISIONS
  9. Food safety
  10. 7Rendering food injurious to health.
  11. 8Selling food not complying with food safety requirements.
  12. 9Inspection and seizure of suspected food.
  13. 10Improvement notices.
  14. 11Prohibition orders.
  15. 12Emergency prohibition notices and orders.
  16. 13Emergency control orders.
  17. Consumer protection
  18. 14Selling food not of the nature or substance or quality demanded.
  19. 15Falsely describing or presenting food.
  20. Food information
  21. 15AMeaning of “food information” etc.
  22. 15BContravention of food information law: seizure of food etc.
  23. 15CDuty to report non-compliance with food information law
  24. 15DPower to obtain information
  25. Regulations
  26. 16Food safety and consumer protection.
  27. 17Enforcement of EU provisions.
  28. 18Special provisions for particular foods etc.
  29. 19Registration and licensing of food premises.
  30. Defences etc.
  31. 20Offences due to fault of another person.
  32. 21Defence of due diligence.
  33. 22Defence of publication in the course of business.
  34. Miscellaneous and supplemental
  35. 23Provision of food hygiene training.
  36. 24Provision of facilities for cleansing shellfish.
  37. 25. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  38. 26Regulations and orders: supplementary provisions.
  39. Part III: ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT
  40. Administration
  41. 27Appointment of public analysts.
  42. 28Provision of facilities for examinations.
  43. Sampling and analysis etc.
  44. 29Procurement of samples.
  45. 30Analysis etc. of samples.
  46. 31Regulation of sampling and analysis etc.
  47. Powers of entry and obstruction etc.
  48. 32Powers of entry.
  49. 33Obstruction etc. of officers.
  50. Offences
  51. 34Time limit for prosecutions.
  52. 35Punishment of offences.
  53. 36Offences by bodies corporate.
  54. 36AOffences by Scottish partnerships.
  55. Appeals
  56. 37Appeals to magistrates’ court or sheriff.
  57. 38Appeals to Crown Court.
  58. 39Appeals against improvement notices.
  59. Part IV: MISCELLANEOUS AND SUPPLEMENTAL
  60. Powers of Ministers
  61. 40Power to issue codes of practice.
  62. 41Power to require returns.
  63. 42Default powers.
  64. Protective provisions
  65. 43Continuance of registration or licence on death.
  66. 44Protection of officers acting in good faith.
  67. Financial provisions
  68. 45Regulations as to charges.
  69. 46Expenses of authorised officers and county councils.
  70. 47Remuneration of tribunal chairmen.
  71. Instruments and documents
  72. 48Regulations and orders.
  73. 49Form and authentication of documents.
  74. 50Service of documents.
  75. Amendments of other Acts
  76. 51Contamination of food: emergency orders.
  77. 52Markets, sugar beet and cold storage.
  78. Supplemental
  79. 53General interpretation.
  80. 54Application to Crown.
  81. 55Water supply: England and Wales.
  82. 56Water supply: Scotland.
  83. 57Scilly Isles and Channel Islands.
  84. 58Territorial waters and the continental shelf.
  85. 59Amendments, transitional provisions, savings and repeals.
  86. 60Short title, commencement and extent.
  87. Schedule 1: Provisions of Regulations under Section 16(1)
  88. Composition of food
  89. 1Paragraph 1
  90. Fitness etc. of food
  91. 2Paragraph 2
  92. 3Paragraph 3
  93. Processing and treatment of food
  94. 4Paragraph 4
  95. Food hygiene
  96. 5Paragraph 5
  97. 6Paragraph 6
  98. Production of food sources
  99. 6AParagraph 6A
  100. Inspection etc. of food sources
  101. 7Paragraph 7
  102. 8Paragraph 8
  103. Schedule 2: Amendments of Parts III and V of 1984 Act
  104. Amendments of Part III
  105. 1Paragraph 1
  106. 2Paragraph 2
  107. 3Paragraph 3
  108. 4Paragraph 4
  109. 5Paragraph 5
  110. 6Paragraph 6
  111. 7Paragraph 7
  112. 8Paragraph 8
  113. 9Paragraph 9
  114. 10Paragraph 10
  115. 11Paragraph 11
  116. Amendments of Part V
  117. 12Paragraph 12
  118. 13Paragraph 13 Repealed
  119. 14Paragraph 14
  120. 15Paragraph 15
  121. 16Paragraph 16
  122. Schedule 3: Minor and Consequential Amendments
  123. The Public Health Act 1936 (c. 49)
  124. 1Paragraph 1
  125. The London Government Act 1963 (c. 33)
  126. 2Paragraph 2
  127. The Agriculture Act 1967 (c. 22)
  128. 3Paragraph 3
  129. 4Paragraph 4
  130. The Farm and Garden Chemicals Act 1967 (c. 50)
  131. 5Paragraph 5 Repealed
  132. The Trade Descriptions Act 1968 (c. 29)
  133. 6Paragraph 6
  134. 7Paragraph 7
  135. The Medicines Act 1968 (c. 67)
  136. 8Paragraph 8
  137. 9Paragraph 9
  138. 10Paragraph 10
  139. 11Paragraph 11
  140. 12Paragraph 12
  141. The Transport Act 1968 (c. 73)
  142. 13Paragraph 13
  143. The Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1971 (c. 62)
  144. 14Paragraph 14 Repealed
  145. The Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1972 (c. 62)
  146. 15Paragraph 15 Repealed
  147. The Poisons Act 1972 (c. 66)
  148. 16Paragraph 16
  149. The Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70)
  150. 17Paragraph 17
  151. The Slaughterhouses Act 1974 (c. 3)
  152. 18Paragraph 18
  153. The Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976 (c. 66)
  154. 19Paragraph 19
  155. The Weights and Measures &c. Act 1976 (c. 77)
  156. 20Paragraph 20
  157. 21Paragraph 21
  158. The Hydrocarbon Oil Duties Act 1979 (c. 5)
  159. 22Paragraph 22
  160. The Slaughter of Animals (Scotland) Act 1980 (c. 13)
  161. 23Paragraph 23
  162. 24Paragraph 24
  163. The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (c. 45)
  164. 25Paragraph 25
  165. The Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 (c. 22)
  166. 26Paragraph 26
  167. 27Paragraph 27
  168. 28Paragraph 28
  169. The Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 (c. 48)
  170. 29Paragraph 29
  171. 30Paragraph 30
  172. The Local Government Act 1985 (c. 51)
  173. 31Paragraph 31
  174. The Weights and Measures Act 1985 (c. 72)
  175. 32Paragraph 32
  176. 33Paragraph 33
  177. 34Paragraph 34
  178. The Agriculture Act 1986 (c. 49)
  179. 35Paragraph 35
  180. The National Health Service (Amendment) Act 1986 (c. 66)
  181. 36Paragraph 36
  182. The Consumer Protection Act 1987 (c. 43)
  183. 37Paragraph 37
  184. The Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 (c. 53)
  185. 38Paragraph 38
  186. Schedule 4: Transitional Provisions and Savings
  187. Ships and aircraft
  188. 1Paragraph 1
  189. Regulations under the 1984 Act
  190. 2Paragraph 2
  191. Regulations under the 1956 Act
  192. 3Paragraph 3
  193. Other regulations
  194. 4Paragraph 4
  195. Orders with respect to milk in Scotland
  196. 5Paragraph 5
  197. Disqualification orders
  198. 6Paragraph 6
  199. Food hygiene byelaws
  200. 7Paragraph 7 Repealed
  201. Closure orders
  202. 8Paragraph 8
  203. Schedule 5Repeals