Institute of Food Science

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Prof J Ralph Blanchfield, MBE
• Chair, External Affairs and Past President
• Institute of Food Science Technology
• President Elect 2003-2006
• International Academy of Food Science
  Technology
• Food science, food technology and food law
  consultant
• E-mail jralphb_at_easynet.co.uk Web
  www.jralphb.co.uk

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Can we trust these food scientists?
• SAAFoST Congress
• September 2005

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Can we trust scientists?

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Well, first of all,
• what is science?

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• The term science is often used to mean any of
  the following
• All scientists
• Government scientists
• Industrial company scientists
• Science facts we learn at school
• What scientists do in laboratories
• The results of scientific discoveries
• How industry uses scientific discoveries
• How governments use scientific discoveries

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• All these are true aspects of science , but dont
  get to the heart of the matter.
• So what is the core reality of science?

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Science is
• A methodical process of
• Obtaining knowledge
• thinking about knowledge
• testing our ideas
• and systematically organising
• knowledge about our universe and world

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Obtaining knowledge
• by observing and recording what is already there
• or
• by setting up an experiment and observing the
  results

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Thinking about knowledge
• Does it suggest a pattern?
• Does it lead to any conclusion?
• How can that hypothesis be tested?

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Testing an hypothesis
• Set up an experiment.
• Publish results in a peer-reviewed scientific
  journal.
• Can other scientists repeat it and get the same
  results?
• Do the results seem to confirm the hypothesis?
• If so, the hypothesis becomes a theory -- but

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• A theory is based on interpretation of current
  knowledge, and it is thus open to challenge
• by other scientists suggesting different
  conclusions or
• by later research adding new knowledge that now
  has to be taken into account

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Scientists (including food scientists) who
  professionally, honestly, ethically and
  objectively adhere to the scientific methodology
  outlined, can be trusted. They do valuable work
  for society in many fields.
• Are there some who call themselves scientists
  who cannot be trusted?

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Untrustworthy scientists?
• Yes, every community has a few rogues
• who falsify or suppress results for gain or
  glory or
• who present speculation as though it were
  established fact or
• who assert that an apparent association between
  A and B proves that A causes B or
• who are militant zealots and campaigners for or
  against something.
• No matter what scientific qualifications they
  have, they are untrustworthy.

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Are there any yardsticks the public can use to
  judge trustworthiness of scientists?
• Letters after the name?
• Membership of the recognised professional body?
• (but membership not mandatory to practise and
  multiple specialisms)

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• These food scientists include members of
  professional bodies of food scientists and
  technologists
• What yardsticks of trustworthiness does IFST
  provide?

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Totally independent
• of government
• of industry
• of lobbying groups
• Not-for-profit
• Self-governing
• Self-funding

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Collaborates in the public interest with
• government
• academia
• consumer bodies
• industry
• Retains complete independence

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Who are our members?
• Individuals, not companies
• Elected in their personal capacities on the
  basis of their qualifications and experience
• Represent no-one but themselves
• Undertake to adhere to the ethical Code of
  Professional Conduct

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Where do our members work?
• Food and ingredients manufacturing
• Food product development
• Food retailing and distribution
• Foodservice
• University teaching and research
• Research Institutes Research Associations
• Government departments and agencies
• Local government Food law enforcement
• Consultancy

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• The first of our four purposes is
• To serve the public interest by furthering the
  application of science and technology to all
  aspects of the supply of safe, wholesome,
  nutritious and attractive food, nationally and
  internationally.

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• The other three purposes?
• (2) To advance the standing of food science and
  technology, both as a subject and as a
  profession
•  
• (3) To assist members in their career and
  personal development within the profession
•  
• (4) To uphold professional standards of
  competence and integrity

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Institute of Food Science Technology

•  
• To uphold professional standards of competence
  ..
• by the strict standards of qualifications and
  experience required for entry to professional
  membership

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Institute of Food Science Technology

•  To uphold professional standards
• of integrity
• by requiring a signed undertaking to comply with
  IFSTs ethical Code of Professional Conduct

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Institute of Food Science Technology

•  
• IFSTs ethical Code of Professional Conduct
• Twelve simple ethical principles
• www.ifst.org/code.htm
• Ten detailed Professional Conduct Guidelines
  expounding the principles in foreseeable
  situations
• www.ifst.org/pcguide.htm
• Teeth?

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• To assist members in their career and personal
  development within the profession
•  
• New knowledge is accumulating at such a rate that
  to stay fully competent food scientists and
  technologists need to make special efforts to
  keep up-to-date.
• IFST Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
  scheme

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• We communicate with members and the public via
• Publications
• International Journal of FST
• Food Science Technology
• Keynote
• Monographs
• eg Good Manufacturing Practice
• Website www.ifst.org
• Careers Website www.foodtechcareers.org
• Information Statements --

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Information Statements
• BSE
• Dioxins and PCBs in Food
• Genetic modification and food
• AIDS and the food handler
• Dietary fibre
• Organic foods
• Food allergens
• - and many more

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Information Statements
• What are they?
• Who prepares them?
• Who approves them?
• How do we make sure they are objective?

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Responsibility to learn more about our food
• Why?
• Improve food safety
• Reduce pre-harvest and post-harvest losses
  of food
• Minimise food deterioration in storage
• Enable development of more attractive, more
  nutritious foods

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Food science knowledge
• a coherent and systematic body of
• knowledge and understanding of the
• nature and composition of food materials,
• and their behaviour under the various conditions
  to which they may be subject.

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• knowledge of
• the chemical composition of food materials
• their physical, biological and biochemical
  behaviour
• human nutritional requirements and the
  nutritional factors in food materials
• the nature and behaviour of enzymes
• the microbiology of foods
• plus

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• knowledge of
• the interaction of food components with each
  other, with atmospheric oxygen, with additives
  and contaminants, and with packaging materials
• pharmacology and toxicology of food materials,
  additives and contaminants
• the effects of various manufacturing operations,
  processes and storage conditions
• the use of statistics for designing
  experimental work and evaluating the results.

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• So, if we have a coherent and systematic body of
  knowledge and understanding of these things
• Why do we need to find out more?
• Why do we need research?

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Our collective knowledge on any topic can never
  be more than partial. So
• Scientists always have to keep open minds. They
  have to act on existing knowledge while
  recognising that further research will bring new
  information and knowledge, which may in turn lead
  to revised conclusions.

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Research is constantly bringing new knowledge.
• Collectively our profession is the repository of
  existing knowledge in its field. It includes
• researchers expanding the boundaries of
  knowledge and
• experts seeking to apply it for the public
  benefit.

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Do we want that knowledge for its own sake?
  Knowledge is good to have but better to apply
  beneficially.
• We apply it to the practical treatment of food
  materials to convert them into food products of
  the kind, quality and stability, and so packaged
  and distributed, as to meet the needs of
  consumers for safe, wholesome, nutritious and
  attractive foods.

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Provocative question
• Can our food ever be safe?

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Can our food ever be safe?
• Nothing in life is without risk
• That includes food!

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Food is assaulted from all directions by risks
  from
• Pests
• Microorganisms
• Chemical contaminants
• Zoonotic diseases
• Cowboys

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Food is assaulted from all directions by risks
  losses due to pests

Weeds
Vermin
Insects
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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Food is assaulted from all directions by risks
  foodborne pathogens

Listeria
Salmonella
Cryptosporidium
Botulism
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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Food is assaulted from all directions by risks
  foodborne pathogens (cont)

E.coli O157
Campylobacter
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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Food is assaulted from all directions by risks
  chemical contaminants

Dioxins
PCBs
Mercury
Sudan 1
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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Food is assaulted from all directions by risks
  chemical contaminants (cont)

Aflatoxin
Allergens
Acrylamide
3-MCPD
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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Food is assaulted from all directions by risks
  zoonotic diseases

BSE and risk of vCJD
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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Food is assaulted from all directions by risks
  cowboys
• The dishonest/cut-corners minority that
  unfortunately also exists in the food industry

No, not that kind of cowboy
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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Food is defended from all those assaults by
• Responsible behaviour by manufacturers
• Science-based legislation
• Effective enforcement
• Overarching role of professional food scientists

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Institute of Food Science Technology

• Prof J Ralph Blanchfield, MBE
• Chair, External Affairs
• Institute of Food Science Technology
• President Elect 2003-2006
• International Academy of Food Science
  Technology
• Food science, food technology and food law
  consultant
• E-mail jralphb_at_easynet.co.uk Web
  www.jralphb.co.uk

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13TH WORLD CONGRESS OF FOOD SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
WELCOME TO NANTES (FRANCE) 17 21 September,
2006
www.inra.fr/iufost2006