Food safety regulations | Seafish

Food safety regulations

Explore key food safety regulations for seafood, including hygiene rules, traceability, and requirements for handling animal-based products.



Ensuring food safety is essential for protecting consumers and maintaining the trust in the food industry.

The Food Safety Act 1990 is designed to help businesses meet high standards of food safety and prevent the sale of unsafe food.

It applies to all food sold and given away (except in private homes), and the law requires that anyone who handles food takes responsibility for keeping it safe. 

Importantly, the Act includes a due diligence defence, meaning businesses can show they took all reasonable steps to prevent a food safety issue from occurring.

General Food Hygiene Standards

Assimilated Regulation 852/2004 sets out general food hygiene requirements to maintain high food safety across all stages of food production, processing and distribution. It aims to ensure high food safety and protect public health.  

The regulation includes provisions on the following: 

  • Primary Production Requirements: It sets out hygiene rules for primary producers, such as for catching, transport, and fish preparation.
  • General Hygiene Requirements: Guidelines for premises, equipment, food waste, staff hygiene, and food transport. These must prevent contamination and ensure food safety.
  • Food Safety Management Systems: Food businesses must use a system based on Hazard Analysis and Critical control Points (HACCP) principles to control food safety risks.  
  • Traceability: Food must be traceable from production to the consumer, allowing businesses to quickly resolve any food safety concerns. Approval and Registration of Establishments: Food business operators must register their establishments with relevant authorities.

Further guidance is available from Croner-i via the link below:

Regulations for Products of Animal Origin 

Regulation 853/2004 applies to businesses handling products of animal origin (POAO), including seafood products like fish, crustaceans and bivalve molluscs.

It requires businesses to meet specific hygiene standards and get approval from local authorities before trading. This ensures that all products are safe for consumers and comply with regulations.  

Key points businesses should keep in mind: 

  • Approval of Establishments: All businesses must be approved by the local authorities before selling POAO products. Approval is granted after verifying that the facilities meet the hygiene standards laid out in the regulation. Businesses will get a unique approval number, which must be on the product before selling or trading. In some cases, this may include cold stores. The British Frozen Food Federation have produced guidance on cold store approval.
  • Traceability: Like other food products, POAO must be traceable from the vessel or farm to the final consumer. This allows companies to recall products if they find a health risk. 

Microbiological standards

Assimilated Regulation 2073/2005 sets out microbiological criteria to ensure food safety. This regulation is crucial to protect consumers from harmful microorganisms. The rules apply to all stages of the food chain, except primary production.

Food Standards Scotland have produced guidance for food business operators

The UK implements these rules via the General Food Regulations 2004 and the Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2006. Similar laws exist in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales. 

Exemptions 

There are exemptions for direct sales to the final consumer, and for small, local, and restricted sales. See guidance direct sales and all exemptions. 

More information on registration or approval, as well as other details on starting a food business, can be found from the relevant local authority in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland. 

Practice guidelines and hygiene training opportunities

Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland Guidance 

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