New EU rules require detailed monitoring of food
The European Commission has announced a rash of new regulations that will require every business in the food and drink trade to keep detailed records of all food and food ingredients from farm to fork.
The Telegraph reports the new requirements, technically known as Article 18 of the General Food Law, will not only affect established companies but also individuals, such as those running a private catering firm out of their kitchen, or a restaurant buying fresh game from a hunter at the back door. All records must be kept for five years, unless the products are perishable, like fresh meat, in which case records must be kept for six months. The intention is to have standardised traceability systems across the EU, so authorities can track food almost instantly in the event of a crisis, such as an outbreak of food poisoning or contamination. Full report in The Telegraph