Widespread media reports that the UK’s Food Standards Agency would soon be abolished appear to have been erroneous.

The country’s Conservative/Liberal coalition government announced today that it would retain the FSA and that the agency would be refocused on food safety. Other aspects of the rumour were true though: the FSA is to see some of its work, such as food labelling and nutrition policy, moved to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department of Health.

The move of nutrition policy has been seen by some as a kowtowing to the food industry, which had strongly objected to the FSA’s work in this area, including its pushing of a traffic light system of red/amber/green labels.

“Many NGOs campaigning on food thought for a long time the food industry has an unhealthy degree of influence over the Department of Health so the great risk is the corporate vested interests of the food industry will have too strong an influence on future policy,” said Patrick Holden, director of organic food industry group the Soil Association, when the rumours first surfaced (Guardian).

In a statement, Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley said, “Bringing nutrition policy into the Department makes sense. It will enable a clear, consistent public health service to be created, as our Public Health White Paper later this year will set out.”