A regulatory body is an organisation, usually created or empowered by government, that sets the rules for an industry and oversees the companies operating within it. In food, examples include the Food Standards Agency, the European Food Safety Authority, and the US Food and Drug Administration, which set safety standards, approve additives and novel foods, inspect businesses, and enforce the law. A good regulatory body combines independence from the industry it regulates with scientific competence and transparent decision-making, so its judgments command public trust. Its tools range from guidance and licensing through to product seizures, fines, and prosecutions. Because food businesses operate across borders, national bodies increasingly coordinate through international networks, aligning standards while respecting different legal traditions.