Ensuring food safety at the 2012 Olympics
About 10 million spectators are expected to attend Olympic events and nearly 15,000 athletes from 200 nations will be competing. The organisers estimate that 14 million meals will be served across 40 Olympic venues.
The FSA is taking a lead in addressing the potential food-safety risks and will be directing work with stakeholders and partners to ensure measures are in place to deliver a safe and healthy games.
The FSA will be working with delivery partners for:
• raising compliance around venues, transport hubs and tourist hot spots
• removal of illegal mobile catering operations and the development of a nationally recognised MOT-style certificate for legal traders
• consistency of enforcement
It will also be responsible for the:
• coordination and reporting of foodborne illness
• sampling activities in and outside the venues, targeted at high risk foods
• authorisation of officers who need access to venues during games time
• emergency planning exercises to test the processes
• improving local authority enforcement skills and capacity
• advice and information to importers
On 15 July, the Agency and the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health co-hosted a workshop for stakeholders to consider the implications of food-borne illness occurring during the games. It included a mini exercise based on a salmonella outbreak.
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