Is Your Food Safe? (non-US English-speakers)

In Is Your Food Safe? (US) we discussed the three main departments that help keep food safe in the United States. Other countries have similar programs in place. We’ll cover English-speaking countries: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. If you would like to submit information on non-English-speaking countries, please contact us!

United Kingdom

In the UK, three main organizations help keep food safe, both for humans and pets: the Food Standards Agency (FSA), the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

• Food Standards Agency (FSA):
  The FSA makes sure food is safe to eat, properly labeled, and handled the right way. It also works with local authorities to check shops and restaurants.
  The FSA website has easy-to-read food safety information, including alerts and recalls.
• Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra):
  Defra helps oversee farming, food production, and animal welfare. It works to keep the food supply safe and reliable.
• UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA):
  UKHSA studies and tracks food-related illnesses. It looks into outbreaks and helps stop them from spreading.

Canada

Three main organizations help keep food safe in Canada: the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Health Canada, and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).

• Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA):
  CFIA checks food products, enforces safety rules, and makes sure labels are correct. It also handles recalls.
• Health Canada:
  Health Canada sets the rules for food safety. It decides what is safe to use in food and how it should be labeled.
• Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC):
  PHAC tracks foodborne illness and investigates outbreaks. It works with local health groups to respond quickly.

Australia

Three main groups help keep food safe in Australia: Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and state and territory health departments.

• Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ):
  FSANZ sets the rules for food safety, including labeling and ingredients.
  FSANZ provides food safety information and recall notices for the public.
• Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF):
  This department checks imported food and helps protect Australia from unsafe products.
• State and Territory Health Departments:
  Many health and safety programs are managed at the local level, including health and safety inspections. They also respond to local food safety issues.

New Zealand

Food safety in New Zealand is mainly handled by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), and local public health services.

• Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ):
  FSANZ sets the rules for food safety, including labeling and ingredients.
  FSANZ provides food safety information and recall notices for the public.
• Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI):
  MPI makes sure food is safe to eat. It oversees food production, imports, and exports, and manages recalls.
  MPI provides simple food safety guidance and a list of recalls for consumers.
• National Public Health Service (NPHS): NPHS is responsible for preventing illness and disease, protecting population health, and promoting wellbeing and hauora. NPHS has teams in all regions of Aotearoa New Zealand.
• Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora:
  Local health services track foodborne illness and respond to outbreaks.