Food safety is an issues for large and small retailer

The vast majority were for minor problems, quickly resolved, but 73 premises were closed down and 32 the subject of a prosecution.

Sir John said there must be no hiding place for shoddy practice and sloppy procedures.

He said we should all be able to eat a meal safe in the knowledge that it will not be our last.

He warned that environmental health officers would crack down hard to increase public confidence.

E.coli outbreak

The FSA warned last month that retailers who failed to apply for a new butcher's licence would be breaking the law if they sold raw and cooked meat on the same premises.

The new licensing scheme was introduced after the E.coli O157 outbreak in Wishaw in 1996 which claimed the lives of 21 people.

It applies to any outlet which sells both unwrapped, raw meat and any ready-to-eat products.

They must now have separate counters for cooked and raw meat and better staff training.