FSA in Northern Ireland celebrates 25th anniversary at publication of annual report

Discussing the organisation’s journey and future opportunities Professor Susan Jebb, chair of the Food Standards Agency said: “This year marks 25 years since the Food Standards Agency (FSA) was established and this milestone provides a chance to reflect on why the organisation was set up and the role it needs to play in the future. 

“Our core job remains to protect public health and consumer interests in relation to food. The traffic light nutrition labelling system we launched in 2006 to help consumers make healthier food choices and the Food Hygiene Rating Schemes launched in 2010 to identify businesses with the highest standards are just two examples of initiatives that have improved the food environment and for consumers. In Northern Ireland the percentage of food business with a rating of 3 or better or a pass as of December 2024 was 98.7%.

“Our Food 2024 reports on the wider food system, how well it is working, where the pressures are, and risks that may lie ahead. Over the past 25 years, events such as the BSE crisis and the horsemeat incident demonstrated the need for strong, effective, independent regulation.

“We can see that the food system faces risks as a consequence of stretched local authority resources, and there are continuing concerns about criminal activity in the food chain. As a regulator it is our job to ensure we protect consumers but also enable responsible businesses to flourish through proportionate regulation.”

Congratulating FSA NI on reaching its 25th anniversary and commenting on the organisation’s achievement Minister Muir, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, said: “The Food Standards Agency has played a vital role since its inception, not only in ensuring that the food we eat is safe, but also that consumers can be confident they get what they are paying for when purchasing agri-food products.

“With the launch of the latest annual report on food standards across the UK, they provide us with a very valuable and a timely assessment of food safety and authenticity standards in the UK. I am thankful to FSA for ensuring our standards remain high and proud of the close relationships with my Department throughout the last 25 years.”

Outlining the important role that the Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland has in relation to dietary health Mike Nesbitt, Health Minister said: “The positive working relationship between my department and the FSA has helped to deliver important public health measures such as the recent bread and flour regulations.

“Collaborative working enabled the mandatory fortification of non-wholemeal wheat flour with folic acid which will reduce neural tube defects by 20% in the UK and improve the health of pregnant women.

“This important partnership working is also reflected in our obesity prevention work. I am passionate about tackling health inequalities and I know the FSA has a breadth of expertise to help support the development and delivery of obesity prevention policies.”

Some key highlights from the FSA’s 25-year journey include:

2004 – Launched salt reduction programme

2006 – Launched the traffic light nutrition labelling system, helping consumers make healthier food choices.

2007 – Developed the Nutrient Profiling Model leading to restrictions on junk food advertising to children.

2010 – Launched the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, helping consumers make informed choices and encouraging businesses to uphold hygiene standards.

2015 – Established the National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) to investigate and prevent serious food fraud.

2021 – Implemented Natasha’s Law requiring full ingredient labelling on pre-packed food to protect allergy sufferers.

2021 – Established the PATH- SAFE programme applying DNA sequencing to improve detection and tracking of food borne pathogens.

2025 - Developed new regulatory processes and protections for precision-bred organisms and cell-cultivated products, supporting regulation of innovation. 

View the full ‘Our Food 2024’ report.