The European Commission recently published a summary report from a Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SCoPAFF) General Food Law meeting held on 19^th September.

An exchange of views took place on the implications for Irish Food Business Operators arising from the UK amendments to Bread and Flour Regulations.

The Irish authorities presented to the Committee the implications of the UK amendments to Bread and Flour regulations, which introduce the mandatory fortification of non-wholemeal flour and bread with folic acid and increase levels of other nutrients already required under existing fortification rules, with a transition period until December 2026. However, most wholesale millers would implement the changes by October 2025.

To manage this accelerated timeline, Ireland is seeking potential pragmatic and proportionate solutions to address food business operators’ concerns while ensuring transparent food information to consumers. In particular, Ireland proposed allowing food business operators to use temporary flash labelling on the front of pack to indicate the presence of folic acid.

Concerning the other nutrients, Ireland explained that relabelling might not be needed as the increased levels would remain within the tolerance ranges, i.e. within the acceptable differences between the declared on label nutrient values and those found during official controls.

Ireland emphasised that any flexibilities would be limited, applied on a case-by-case basis, and agreed upon between the food business operators and the relevant competent authority.

During the exchange of views, some Member States requested more information regarding the content of the proposed flash labelling. The Commission emphasised that any additional information on the presence of folic acid should be provided and presented in a way that is not perceived as a misleading nutrition claim and underscored the importance of complying with the Commission’s guidance on setting tolerances for nutrient values declared on the label.

The Commission expressed support for a pragmatic and proportionate approach that does not undermine consumer protection and public health and requested Ireland to share details about the wording and presentation of the folic acid related information with the experts of the Committee in the following week.

Members of the Counter Ransomware Initiative (CRI) and its Private Sector Advisory Panel are joining together to issue guidance for organisations on building resilience in their supply chains against ransomware threats.

The guidance aims to reduce the likelihood of a ransomware incident having a critical effect on an organisation by:

1. Raising awareness of the ransomware threat across an organisation’s supply chain
2. Promoting good cyber hygiene to protect supply chains
3. Ensuring supply chain vulnerabilities are factored into an organisation’s risk assessment and decisions, including on procurement

The Home Office is recommending that organisations review the guidance and consider implementing the recommendations in collaboration with supply chain operators, both existing and future. The aim is to ensure organisations do not leave supply chains vulnerable to ransomware attacks.

Being prepared for any incident is key and will help lessen the impact if one happens. In 2024, the CRI, alongside insurance bodies, published guidance for organisations during ransomware incidents. This guidance is designed to build on this 2024 product, being specifically targeted at organisations and their supply chains.

You can access the guidance here

The European Commission have now published their September 2025 report on EU Agri-Food Fraud suspicions.

The purpose of this report is twofold:

1. Assist Member States’ authorities for the enforcement of the provisions of Article 9 (2) of the Official Control Regulation which requires the organisation of risk-based controls to identify and combat fraudulent and deceptive practices along the agri-food chain (across some control areas listed in its Article 1(2)).
2. Provide valuable but selected information to stakeholders of the agri-food sector to perform adequate vulnerability assessments and identify new emerging risks

The monthly report covers food, feedingstuff, materials and articles intended to come into contact directly or indirectly with food, animal welfare issues for farmed animals, plant protection products, veterinary medicinal products and other inputs that may end in the form of residues and contaminants in food and feed.

The monthly report does not reconcile data and suspicions related to the following subjects:

• animal and plant health,
• release into the environment of Genetically Modified Organisms,
• animal welfare for companion animals,
• placing on the market and use of plant protection products, veterinary medicinal products and other inputs that are not ending as residues and contaminants in food and feed, and
• animal by-products and derived products when they not intended to be used for oral feeding to animals.

Access the full report here

Food Standards Scotland has launched a new website meaning that finding many of the things you need to run a business, is now quicker and easier than before.

Food Standards Scotland’s new website makes it easier for businesses to comply with food and feed law -with simpler navigation and the latest guidance, tools and training resources.

You can explore the website in further detail here

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recently published a summary of a session on Artificial Intelligence, held at their Science and Innovation Forum held on 13^th-17^th October 2025.

The session entitled ‘AI meets food safety: exploring how artificial intelligence can help reshape food safety’ brought together scientists, regulators and innovators to look at how digital innovations are transforming food safety management, from reactive responses to more anticipatory and data-driven approaches.

Discussions ranged from machine learning for pathogen detection to horizon scanning for emerging issues and models that help prioritize inspection resources in data-limited environments.

More information on the session can be found here and a recording of the session can be viewed on demand here: https://youtu.be/TNxX8W_5A68

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and HM Treasury have launched a call for evidence to tell government about regulation which is not fit for purpose and unjustifiably inhibits growth, innovation and investment.

The government has set an ambitious target to reduce the administrative burdens of regulation on business by 25%. Effective regulation provides important protections to consumers, businesses and the wider public. The UK’s regulatory system has many strengths. However, too many instances of outdated or excessive regulation, or poor regulatory practice, are undermining these benefits – and are inhibiting growth, innovation and investment.

This business questionnaire, ‘Unlocking Business: Reform Driven by You’, provides businesses large and small, entrepreneurs, investors and industry experts with the opportunity to drive the next phase of reform – building on measures already announced in March and October 2025. In particular, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) wants to receive evidence about:

• current activity costs. DBT wants you to share examples of specific rules that impose unnecessary costs or burdens on businesses, including both the direct costs imposed by individual regulations and indirect costs resulting from how they’re applied
• opportunity costs. DBT wants you to help them understand how regulations and the way they are applied may delay or prevent future business opportunities being taken up, including compared to other countries

DBT’s aim is to identify the exact aspects of regulations or their implementation that create problems, so they can pinpoint where to make changes. In doing so, you may also wish to highlight examples of good practice, which might be adopted more widely.

If you cannot name a specific regulation or regulatory process, you are requested to describe the issue and its impact on your business as clearly and precisely as possible. DBT urges respondents to read the introductory text in the full downloadable version of the questionnaire before completing it.

Government will use the evidence you provide to help develop further ambitious reforms to the UK regulatory system so that it is fit for purpose and the future, minimising burdens on business without reducing safeguards.

DBT invites responses by 16th December 2025, using one of the methods outlined here.