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The Food Standards Agency is consulting on its revised Strategic Plan for 2010-2015. The five-year plan, first published in December 2009, sets the Agency’s strategic direction and priorities, and describes the outcomes the Agency aims to deliver to safeguard public health at all stages of the food chain.

The consultation can be found at the link below. If you want to comment on the proposed strategy, your response must be received by Friday 11 February 2011.

About the consultation

The consultation recognises progress that has been made against the current Strategic Plan and sets out proposed changes, including renewing the FSA’s commitment to tackle campylobacter in chicken and prioritising further activity on allergens.

One key proposal is to have a dedicated outcome on the FSA’s enforcement activities. The intention is to highlight the increased emphasis on securing effective enforcement of food law, with the aim of moving towards a more consistent risk-based and proportional approach.

The consultation also sets out the amendments that will need to be made to the FSA’s Science and Evidence Strategy 2010–2015, to take account of the proposed changes to the Strategic Plan.

Nutrition policy

The revised plan recognises that nutrition-related work will continue to be delivered by the FSA in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

From 1 October 2010, responsibility for nutrition policy transferred to the Department of Health in England and the Welsh Assembly Government.

Annual review

The Agency reviews the strategy each year and adjusts it as necessary to ensure that public health is protected from food safety risks.