Food sampling

Food sampling by Local Authorities currently provides the principal surveillance mechanism for assessing the safety and authenticity of foods placed on the market, and generates valuable evidence to support risk assessment and the targeting of further surveillance and enforcement activities.

In this section

Local authority food sampling

Scottish local authority environmental health departments carry out food sampling, as part of their enforcement of UK food law.

The Scottish Food Sampling Database (SFSD)

Food and feed sampling carried out on products available in Scotland for surveillance and monitoring purposes.

Food Standards Scotland funded surveillance sampling

We fund local authorities to carry out additional food sampling through a targeted surveillance programme.

Food Standards Scotland targeted food surveys

We fund a programme of surveys, driving insights into the risk profile of products available in Scotland.