During the 1980s and 1990s a series of food scares, culminating in the BSE crisis, badly damaged public confidence in the United Kingdom's food supply. The government set up the Food Standards Agency (FSA) as a radical response to the climate of confusion and suspicion surrounding the handling of food safety and standards issues. The FSA is an independent public protection body governed by a board appointed to act in the public interest and put consumers first. Since its inception in April 2000, the FSA has achieved widespread public recognition and has established a reputation for the clarity of its advice and the prioritization of consumer interests. It has increased public trust in food safety by being honest about food risks and uncertainties, and by being open, transparent and inclusive in its decisionmaking. All of the FSA's advice and information is published free of political influence.
