Today, 7 June 2019, is the first World Food Safety Day, a day
agreed by the United Nations General Assembly, and during which
all stakeholders are invited to raise global awareness about food
safety in general and to highlight that everyone involved in food
systems has a part to play.
Everyone has the right to safe, nutritious and sufficient food.
Still today, almost one in ten people in the world fall ill after
eating contaminated food.
Food safety has been the business of the Government Chemist role
since it was first appointed in 1875 to protect the public from
fraud, malpractice and harm. In those early days the work of the
laboratory was focused on the detection of adulterants in milk,
butter, flour, beer and many other every-day food items.
To this day, the Government Chemist continues to work on
resolving scientific disputes in the food and feed sectors,
giving advice to regulators and industry, and carrying out
research. Our statutory focus is as an independent referee
affording regulators and businesses alike the right of technical
appeal in the official food and feed control system. These are
some examples of the work of the Government Chemist in ensuring
food is safe to eat:
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Providing practical knowledge for assessing confectionery
items known as jelly mini-cups, which can potentially cause
choking. The Government Chemist organised a well attended
workshop that helped clarify concepts such as
‘borderline compliant’ and enhanced significantly the
consistency with which this choking hazard will be regulated
in the future.
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The Government Chemist team contributes regularly to the
development of national and
international standards which aim to combat food
fraud and enhance food safety. Recently the team participated
on a European
initiative aimed at making communications regarding
food fraud more precise and clear.
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Food allergy is an increasing problem for those affected,
their families or carers, the food industry and for
regulators. The food supply chain is highly vulnerable to
fraud involving food allergens, risking fatalities and
disminishing life quality. The Government Chemist has
a long standing interest
in food allergy stemming from acknowledged
difficulties in allergen analysis. The team focuses in the
standardisation of allergen measurements, the resolution of
analytical disputes about allergen measurement and
the management of food
allergens in the food supply chain.
