An official website of the United States government.
This review will be used to provide clear guidance for local authorities, which will facilitate a proportionate enforcement regime for the wild game sector and ensure that food business operators are clear about their responsibilities.
<P>
The aims of the project include:
<UL> <LI>
a systematic review of current enforcement regime in the Scottish wild game sector
<LI>
an estimate of the scale of the unregulated part of the industry compared to the regulated one
<LI>
an assessment as to whether the current enforcement regime is proportionate in relation to the food safety risks, and to the scale, economic and environmental importance of the Scottish wild game sector
<LI>
identify gaps in the current enforcement regime and propose changes to ensure effective, consistent and proportionate food hygiene enforcement in the Scottish wild game sector, which protects public health and the prosperity of the sector
</UL> The project has three tasks:
<ul> <LI>
to review the wild game sector in Scotland, including its structure and scale, key features of operation, regulatory structures and regulators' responsibilities, with a view to understanding the role of legislation, flowcharts of inspections and enforcement procedures.
<LI>
to interview relevant individuals and organisations to gather information on the application and enforcement of the regulatory framework in the Scottish wild game sector; on attitudes to, and opinions on, the current regulatory system; opportunities for improvements; and future needs and best practices
<LI>
to produce a report that delivers an assessment of the effectiveness of the food hygiene enforcement regime for the Scottish wild game sector, and how it might be developed
BackgroundThe procurement of meat from wild game is very different from the supply chain associated with domesticated species. It is essential that the food safety risks associated with the wild game sector are clearly understood, to ensure that an effective enforcement regime is employed to protect public health.
<P>
Food safety enforcement needs to be proportionate, and take into account the economic and environmental importance of the wild game industry in Scotland, particularly in relation to wild deer. There are different regulations for the supply of wild game, since it usually involves the direct supply of small quantities of primary products to the final consumer or to local retail establishments directly supplying the final consumer. The current legislation creates a confusing range of regulatory measures for the wild game sector that may involve unregulated sales, irregularities in the registration or inspection of premises and approval of suppliers/retailers.
<p>Find more about this project and other FSA food safety-related projects at the <a href="http://www.food.gov.uk/science/research/" target="_blank">Food Standards Agency Research webpage</a>.