Food Alerts

Food Alerts are the Food Standards Agency's way of letting local authorities and consumers know about problems associated with food and, in some cases, provide details of specific action to be taken.

They are issued under two categories:

• Food Alerts: for Action
• Food Alerts: for Information

Food Alerts are also copied to Consultants in Communicable Disease Control, Trading Standards Officers and food trade organisations, to alert them to current food issues. They are often issued in conjunction with a product withdrawal or recall by a manufacturer, retailer or distributor.

Details of active and past Food Alerts are available on the Food Standards Agency website.

Their website also provides details of how you can register to receive automatic email notifications of new food alerts. You can also get food alert details sent direct to your mobile phone. Again information is provided on the Agency’s website.

Further details of food alerts being handled by Kent Trading Standards are available on the Kent Trading Standards website.

Allergy Alerts

Sometimes foods have to be withdrawn or recalled if there is a risk to consumers because the allergy labelling is missing or incorrect or if there is any other food allergy risk.

In such situations the Agency will issue an Allergy Alert. These can be viewed on the Food Standards Agency website. It is also possible to subscribe to the email and text system via the Agency website.

Allergy alerts are sometimes handled by Trading Standards rather than Ashford Council’s Food Team. Further details of those alerts being handled by Kent Trading Standards are available on Kent Trading Standards website.

Further Advice

If you wish to know more information about Food and Allergy Alerts generally please contact the Food Team on 01233 330581 or email envhealth@ashford.gov.uk.