The Food Safety (Northern Ireland) Order 1991

Analysis, etc., of samples procured by authorised officer of a district council N.I.

30.—F1 (1) An authorised officer of a district council who has procured a sample under Article 29 shall—

(a) if he considers that the sample should be analysed, submit it to be analysed either—

(i) by the public analyst for the district in which the sample was procured; or

(ii) by the public analyst for the district which consists of or includes the district of the council;

(b) if he considers that the sample should be examined, submit it to be examined by a food examiner.

(2) A person, other than such an officer, who has purchased any food, or any substance capable of being used in the preparation of food, may submit a sample of it—

(a) to be analysed by the public analyst for the district in which the purchase was made; or

(b) to be examined by a food examiner.

(3) If, in any case where a sample is proposed to be submitted for analysis under this Article, the office of public analyst for the district in question is vacant, the sample shall be submitted to the public analyst for some other district.

(4) If, in any case where a sample is proposed to be or is submitted for analysis or examination under this Article, the food analyst or examiner determines that he is for any reason unable to perform the analysis or examination, the sample shall be submitted or, as the case may be, sent by him to such other food analyst or examiner as he may determine.

(5) A food analyst or examiner shall analyse or examine as soon as practicable any sample submitted or sent to him under this Article, but may, except where—

(a) he is the public analyst for the district in question; and

(b) the sample is submitted to him for analysis by an authorised officer of a district council,

demand in advance the payment of such reasonable fee as he may require.

(6) A food analyst or examiner who has analysed or examined a sample shall give to the person by whom it was submitted a certificate specifying the result of the analysis or examination.

(7) Any certificate given by a food analyst or examiner under paragraph (6) shall be signed by him, but the analysis or examination may be made by any person acting under his direction.

(8) In any proceedings under this Order, the production by one of the parties—

(a) of a document purporting to be a certificate given by a food analyst or examiner under paragraph (6); or

(b) of a document supplied to him by the other party as being a copy of such a certificate,

shall be sufficient evidence of the facts stated in it unless, in a case falling within sub‐paragraph (a), the other party requires that the food analyst or examiner shall be called as a witness.

(9) In this Article—

• “food analyst” means a public analyst or any other person who possesses the requisite qualifications to carry out analyses for the purposes of this Order;

• “food examiner” means any person who possesses the requisite qualifications to carry out examinations for the purposes of this Order;

• “the requisite qualifications” means such qualifications as may be prescribed by regulations, or such other qualifications as the Department may approve;

• “sample”, in relation to an authorised officer of a district council, includes any part of a sample retained by him in pursuance of regulations under Article 32;

• and where 2 or more than 2 public analysts are appointed for any district, any reference in this Article to the public analyst for that district shall be construed as a reference to either or any of them.

F1 mod. by SR 2005/284

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Art. 30 applied (19.11.2006) by Plastic Materials and Articles in Contact with Food (No 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 (S.R. 2006/420), reg. 19(3)(d)

C2 Art. 30 applied (31.10.2007) by Natural Mineral Water, Spring Water and Bottled Drinking Water Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 (S.R. 2007/420), reg. 17(7) (with reg. 3)

C3 Art. 30 applied (with modifications) (20.1.2010) by Food (Jelly Mini-Cups) (Emergency Control) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 (S.R. 2009/417), reg. 5(1)(d)

C4 Art. 30(8) applied (30.6.2006) by Plastic Materials and Articles in Contact with Food Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 (S.R. 2006/251), reg. 21(1)(b);

Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (1.7.2006) by Contaminants in Food Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 (S.R. 2006/256), reg. 5(1)(d);

Art. 30(8) applied (19.11.2006) by Plastic Materials and Articles in Contact with Food (No 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 (S.R. 2006/420), reg. 22(1)(b)

C5 mod. by SR 2004/487

C6 Art. 30(8) applied (1.3.2007) by Notification of Marketing of Food for Particular Nutritional Uses Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 (S.R. 2007/60), reg. 7(f)

C7 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (1.3.2007) by Quick-frozen Foodstuffs Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 (S.R. 2007/65), reg. 10(e)

C8 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (1.3.2007) by Contaminants in Food Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 (S.R. 2007/66), reg. 5(1)(d)

C9 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (1.3.2007) by Quick-frozen Foodstuffs (No.2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 (S.R. 2007/110), reg. 10(e)

C10 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (7.8.2007) by Addition of Vitamins, Minerals and Other Substances Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 (S.R. 2007/301), reg. 5(f)

C11 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (1.10.2007) by Nutrition and Health Claims Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 (S.R. 2007/349), reg. 6(f)

C12 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (5.11.2007) by Plastic Materials and Articles in Contact with Food (Lid Gaskets) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 (S.R. 2007/419), reg. 10(b)

C13 Art. 30(8) applied (31.10.2007) by Natural Mineral Water, Spring Water and Bottled Drinking Water Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 (S.R. 2007/420), reg. 22(1)(f) (with reg. 3)

C14 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (5.11.2007) by Materials and Articles in Contact with Food Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 (S.R. 2007/434), regs. 1(2), 20(1)(c)

C15 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (11.1.2008) by Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 (S.R. 2007/506), reg. 29(d)

C16 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (14.4.2008) by Eggs and Chicks Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 (S.R. 2008/98), reg. 20

C17 Art. 30(8) applied (5.5.2008) by Plastic Materials and Articles in Contact with Food Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 (S.R. 2008/167), reg. 25(b)

C18 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (1.7.2008) by Drinking Milk Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 (S.R. 2008/237), reg. 7(f)

C19 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (1.7.2008) by Spreadable Fats (Marketing Standards) and the Milk and Milk Products (Protection of Designations) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 (S.R. 2008/239), regs. 3, 7(g)

C20 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (22.12.2008) by Eggs and Chicks (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 (S.R. 2008/451), reg. 20

C21 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (1.7.2009) by Contaminants in Food Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 (S.R. 2009/220), reg. 5(1)(d)

C22 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (31.7.2009) by Food Irradiation Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 (S.R. 2009/258), reg. 11(1)(f)

C23 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (1.1.2010) by Food for Particular Nutritional Uses (Addition of Substances for Specific Nutritional Purposes) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 (S.R. 2009/398), reg. 4(d)

C24 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (20.1.2010) by Food Enzymes Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 (S.R. 2009/415), reg. 5(1)(c)

C25 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (20.1.2010) by Food Additives Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 (S.R. 2009/416), reg. 16(1)(e)

C26 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (6.4.2010) by Fish Labelling Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 (S.R. 2010/54), reg. 10(d)

C27 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (28.4.2010) by Eggs and Chicks Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 (S.R. 2010/125), reg. 29

C28 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (20.10.2010) by Materials and Articles in Contact with Food Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 (S.R. 2010/321), reg. 20(1)(b) (with reg. 3)

C29 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (20.10.2010) by Contaminants in Food Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 (S.R. 2010/335), reg. 5(1)(d)

C30 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (20.1.2011) by Flavourings in Food Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 (S.R. 2010/414), reg. 5(1)(c)

C31 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (1.1.2012) by Foodstuffs Suitable for People Intolerant to Gluten Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 (S.R. 2010/338), reg. 5(d)

C32 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (1.7.2011) by Plastic Kitchenware (Conditions on Imports from China) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 (S.R. 2011/236), reg. 11(1)(c)

C33 Art. 30(8) applied (with modifications) (14.10.2011) by Poultrymeat Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 (S.R. 2011/315), reg. 26(1)(c)(2)