Abstract: The subject of this research is the food as a legal category, its properties, and consolidation of characteristics by national legislation for the purpose of more constructive development of the food legal relations. The author thoroughly examines such aspects of the topic as underdevelopment of the food characteristics in the main law, inability to define food as an independent object of law based on the currently existing normative legal acts. The key conclusion of the conducted research lies in the author’s proposition to formulate the human-oriented legislation on food. Special contribution of the author consists in analysis of the applicable to food legal categories of quality and safety. The scientific novelty of the work contains the analysis of subjective composition of food legal relations and suggestion to introduce the legal status of private party.

Keywords: regulatory requirements, legal regulation, safety, quality, food, legislative analysis, food legal relations, government administration, citizen rights, administrative law