Telford & Wrekin Council is required to prepare and publish a food sampling policy and make it available to businesses and consumers in accordance with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) Food Law Code of Practice and Food Law Practice Guidance, and to meet the standard laid down in the FSA Framework Agreement on Official Feed and Food Controls.

This policy sets out this authority’s general approach to food sampling and its approach to specific situations. 

The Policy has been drawn up in accordance with the Food Standards Agency Framework Agreement on Local Authority Food Law Enforcement, Food Law Code of Practice (England), and other relevant centrally issued guidance on sampling. It deals with sampling within the context of the Food Safety Act 1990, the Food Safety (Sampling and Qualifications) (England) Regulations 2013 and the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013.

Private Waters sampling for the purposes of Private Water Supplies Regulations 2016 is not within scope of this policy.

Feed Sampling in accordance with the regulations is undertaken by the Councils Trading Standards department and does not fall under the scope of this policy.

Last updated : 12 August 2025

Telford & Wrekin Council carries out food sampling to ensure that foods manufactured, handled and sold within the Borough of Telford and Wrekin meet the food safety and food standards requirements of the Food Safety Act 1990 and the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013.

 Microbiological and Food Standards statutory compositional sampling provide information on the standards and safety of food produced, prepared, and retailed within the Borough to both consumers and residents, as well as providing information to food business operators.

The Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 and the Food Safety Act 1990 allow samples to be procured either by ‘purchasing’ or ‘taking’.  Due regard will be given to the requirements of the Food Law Code of Practice and the Practice Guidance when the purchasing of samples is being considered. 

This policy sets out the Council's overall approach to food sampling and its approach to specific situations and considers formal and informal sampling on both a proactive and reactive basis in line with the Services documented sampling procedures. Within the context of:-

  • Process Monitoring (verify safe methods of food production and shelf life )
  • Inspections
  • Complaints
  • Surveillance (including national and local co-ordinated programmes)
  • Special partner investigations e.g. OPSON
  • Sampling associated with a food poisoning investigation or outbreak
  • Sampling as an alternate intervention at broadly compliant D rated premises. Such samples can be procured by a regulatory support officer (meeting competencies described in the Code of Practice). The sample procured will be considered an unofficial control

Last updated : 12 August 2025

The Council may take part in regional and national food hygiene and food standards sampling surveys, subject to available resources and intelligence. The sampling programme will have regard to:

  • Any national sampling survey or programme centrally co-ordinated by the Food Standards Agency
  • Any national sampling survey or programme co-ordinated by LACORS and the Public Health Laboratory Service
  •  Any regional sampling survey or programme agreed by the Staffordshire North Food Liaison Group or CENTSA Food Standards Group.

The service will prepare a sampling programme, which details our intended food sampling priorities. The programme will take into account the number, type and intervention ratings of the food businesses, and the type of food produced in the area. The programme will run in conjunction with regional and national sampling surveys.

At the start of each financial year the lead officer for food in conjunction with authorised officers, will identify whether there are any premises, which need to be sampled. Where resources allow the following premises will be subject to sampling:

  • Approved premises
  • High risk food manufacturers (those NOT subject to approval)

The sampling programme is intended to be flexible, reflecting the ever-changing profile of food businesses within the Borough.

In addition the following will be taken into account when drawing up the microbiological food sampling and food standards programme:

  • Any food contamination or food poisoning incidents identified locally or nationally
  • Any complaints received from members of the public or other agencies concerning food premises or their food products
  • Any nationally, regionally or European-wide co-ordinated food sampling projects
    Events or initiatives
  • Any responsibilities identified in respect of imported foods and sampling defined by statute e.g. composition
  • Any foods identified as requiring sampling as a result of local intelligence.

Last updated : 12 August 2025

The examination of food samples is undertaken in accordance with the Food Law Code of Practice (England) and Food Law Practice Guidance (England) using the Councils nominated food examiner for Food Hygiene and Food Standards.The testing criteria is discussed with the Nominated food examiner in advance of submitting the sample

Last updated : 12 August 2025

  • All sample results are reported in writing to the proprietor of the food business within a target time of 10 days of receipt of the result.
  • Where a borderline sample result is received we will issue appropriate advice to the affected business and undertake a resample of the relevant item. 

Unsatisfactory or unacceptable/potentially hazardous results. 

  • Premises from which samples are taken that are subsequently analysed and yield poor results will be considered within the context of the overall management at the premises and the risk to health.  Re sampling may often be necessary.
  • Unsatisfactory- test results will normally result in an environmental health officer investigating whether or not the hygiene practices in the premises are adequate.
  • Unacceptable/potentially hazardous- test results will escalate actions meaning more urgent attention is given to locate and remedy the source of the problem.
  • Written advice will be given, which will be made regarding the HPA guidelines for Ready to Eat foods and food standards statutory offences.
  • All premises producing unsatisfactory food microbiological results (except for a low number of unsatisfactory Aerobic Colony Counts (ACC) not in conjunction with organisms which indicate poor hygiene) are visited for repeat sampling within 12 weeks of the initial sampling.  Repeat sampling will be undertaken formally following discussion with the lead officer for food, and on a case by case basis.
  • All Premises producing unsatisfactory Food Standards statutory offences are visited for repeat sampling within 12 weeks of the initial sample.  Repeat samples will be undertaken formally following discussion with the lead officer for food, and on a case by case basis.
  • All premises producing repeat unsatisfactory results, whether a statutory offence has been committed or not, will be visited and inspected by an authorised officer. Written advice will be given, which will be made with reference to the HPA guidelines for Ready to eat foods.
  • In the event of adverse sampling results that may suggest a serious localised or non-localised food hazard the authority will make a report to the Food Standards Agency. 

Last updated : 12 August 2025

All food samples are taken by authorised officers of the Council who:

  • Are trained in appropriate sampling techniques, and
  • Meet the competencies requirement of an authorised officer as laid down in the Food Law Code of Practice and Food Law Practice Guidance
  • Are experienced in food law enforcement 

Sampling credit allocations from UKHSA will finance most microbiological food sampling undertaken. Any additional or ancillary microbiological sampling will be provided from the Department’s budget or in the case of sampling for export certificates, the cost will be included in the cost of the certificate.

Policy Review

To ensure this policy remains current and up to date it shall be subject to full review and revision once every 3 years or following any significant changes to legislation, practice or procedure.

Last updated : 12 August 2025