04 Apr 2012
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is set to conduct 14,700 extra inspections of fast food outlets and restaurants before the London 2012 Olympics.
A budget of £1.5 million has been set aside for the food checks, which will see environmental health officers inspect outlets stationed outside 2012 venues. Thousands of inspections will take place across the whole of Britain from April through to September.
Along with additional hygiene checks, training will be provided to 1,960 businesses located near 2012 sites and to firms working at the 960 areas where big screens or special Games events are being held.
The FSA, working alongside local authorities on the project, has warned that any outlets that fail the inspections face improvement orders, seizure of product and possible closure.
Sarah Appleby, head of enforcement and local authority delivery at the FSA, said the checks would ensure that visitors to the Olympics get to sample the best food the UK has to offer.
She said: “We have so much fantastic food to showcase to Games visitors and we want food business owners to ensure that everything they sell is the best it can be.”
Copyright Press Association 2012