Delegation of Official Control Sampling to third parties | Seafish

Delegation of Official Control Sampling to third parties

We’ve developed guidance and training for shellfish official control sampling, following major changes to the Official Control Regulations.



We have developed guidance and training carrying out shellfish official control sampling. This is part of significant changes implemented to the Official Control Regulations on shellfish.    

Following a change in approach by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in September 2022, local authorities can permit shellfish producers to collect shellfish and water samples, provided they are fully trained. 

Changes to sampling responsibilities 

Previously, the FSA delegated water sample collection to local authorities. Industry involvement was only allowed in exceptional cases with explicit FSA approval. Now, local authorities can choose to delegate sampling tasks directly to shellfish producers without further FSA approval. 

The final decision on delegation rests with the local authority. 

Guidance and training materials 

To assist with the new sampling approach, Seafish has collaborated with local authorities to create detailed guidance.  

This guidance covers: 

  • The processes and considerations for delegation.
  • The delegated functions.
  • The level of supervision and oversight required. 

A customisable agreement template is also available. It outlines the roles and responsibilities of both parties regarding the collection, processing and transport of live bivalve samples for microbiological and biotoxin monitoring.  

Resources

For more information on our Official Control Sampling training course, visit the Official Control Sampling Training webpage or contact our Onshore Training team by emailing onshore@seafish.co.uk. 

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