Food Safety

Tuesday, 8 July 2025

Questions (860)

Peter 'Chap' Cleere

Question:

860. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Health if she is concerned by the absence of public guidance from the FSAI regarding the impact of UK folic acid flour fortification from October 2025, despite this change being just three months away; and whether she will instruct the authority to immediately engage with industry to mitigate packaging and labelling compliance risks considering Northern Irish food producers have such mitigation measures provided for identical packaging and labelling regulation? [37722/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

The FSAI is the central competent authority for the enforcement of food safety legislation in Ireland.

The FSAI has fully engaged with the Department of Health on the matter of the UK changes to fortification of flour and will be publishing a document to provide information to the public in relation to the upcoming changes.

This matter has arisen due to changes in UK legislation which UK industry has decided to implement ahead of the UK legislative date of application. As an EU Member State Ireland is obliged to implement EU law regarding labelling of fortified food to ensure consumers are not mislead regarding fortification of food.

The FSAI has engaged with the food industry for many months on this matter including through a number of food industry fora, in addition to responding directly to queries which are submitted through their advice line to provide clarity on the application of EU law on this matter. My Department along with the FSAI has also engaged with UK flour millers. The FSAI will continue to engage with industry through these channels on this matter.