A former chief vet will chair an expert group examining the lessons to be learned from the horse meat scandal in Scotland.
Jim Scudamore has been asked by the Scottish Government to make recommendations on improvements that can be made to food safety.
The announcement was made by public health minister Michael Matheson as he announced a consultation on the roles, responsibilities and functions of a new food safety body for Scotland.
He also updated Holyrood on progress made into uncovering the extent of the horse meat scandal in Scotland during a ministerial statement.
Local authorities were asked to withhold use of all frozen beef products pending further investigation after a frozen burger supplied to Cumbernauld High School in North Lanarkshire was found to contain horse DNA last week.
Mr Matheson told MSPs that by the end of the day all but one inspection of premises manufacturing meat products would be completed, with no evidence to date of horse meat food fraud discovered.
The group led by Professor Scudamore will consider any lessons learned from the scandal before the establishment of the food safety body, Mr Matheson said.
It will include representatives from consumer protection, the meat industry, food retail and enforcement.
It has been asked to recommend improvements in the food safety regime that can be made quickly, and will report before summer recess.
Mr Matheson said: “We have the opportunity to learn from the present situation. The expert group I have announced today will identify any lessons we have learned from this horse meat scandal so that we can improve the food safety and standards regime in the future.”
The new food safety body will cover food safety and standards, nutrition, labelling and meat inspection following the UK Government’s decision to reduce the scope of the UK-wide Food Standards Agency.
Mr Matheson said: “The scandal has made clear that a single independent public body should have clear responsibility for all aspects of food safety and standards. Our vision for Scotland’s new food body is that its primary focus will be consumer protection. It will make sure food in Scotland is safe to eat and it will improve the diet and nutrition of the people of Scotland.
“The Government has considered carefully the implications of the horse meat scandal as part of the development of this consultation. Creating a new body and passing legislation takes time. People in Scotland rightly want to see improvements now.”