§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what legislation regulates the description of food as smoked. [111472]
§ Ms BlearsEuropean rules on food labelling are implemented in the United Kingdom by the general provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990 and the Food Labelling Regulation 1996. These make it an offence to describe food in a way that is false, or likely to mislead a purchaser about its nature, substance or quality. Guidance notes accompanying this legislation make clear that terms like "smoked" can easily be abused and suggest that products that have been immersed in, or sprayed with, a solution which imparts flavour and colour should be described as "smoke flavoured" rather than "smoked".