Ministers promised the review in January's White Paper about the proposed new Food Standards Agency. Deputy Agriculture Minister Jeff Rooker, naming the review team and announcing its terms of reference in a Commons written reply, said he hoped it would be finished before the end of the year. The article reported that the team has been asked to submit preliminary advice on the need for any legislative changes by the end of June. It will consider the work of the public analysts who are used by councils to test samples of food on sale for safety and authenticity. We need to ensure the way this important work is carried out fully reflects current and future needs.
Local authorities have a crucial role in enforcing laws governing the sale of food.
It is their vigilance that protects consumers. The ability to check the quality and authenticity of food samples quickly and efficiently will help them carry out that work. The review team will be headed by Alan Turner, an independent consultant on food science, technology and law, former senior examiner on public analyst qualification and former chairman of the Food and Drink Federation's Food Labelling and Law Panels. British Medical Journal Dr Jonathan Hourihane et al in this week's British Medical Journal said like children who develop allergies to cows' milk or eggs, a proportion of young children who develop a sensitivity to peanuts early in life seem to grow out of their reaction as they get older. This statement was based on findings from research conducted at the University of Southampton and South Manchester University Hospitals.