Apr 29th, 2022
2 mins
Following an assessment carried out by FSA, 3 more oils: fully refined palm oil, fully refined soyabean oil and fully refined coconut oil, in addition to refined rapeseed oil, can now be used to substitute sunflower oil without a declaration of the change on the label, as short-term measure, with a pragmatic enforcement approach taken by Local Authorities.
A smarter comms enforcement letter has been sent to Local Authorities which you can access here: Update: FSA provides consumer guidance as more fully refined oils may be used as ingredient substitutions | Food Standards Agency. In addition, the two previous letters (22 March and 14 April) on this subject are also available.
Please note that currently this is a three nation (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) approach. FSS is working closely with Scottish Government, they are minded to communicating a similar approach next week for Scotland once the queries they are working on are resolved. In light, of the pressures on industry, the FSA with agreement from FSS, decided to make the announcement today.
The FSA will also be publishing consumer facing communications.
