News
07-May-2008 - Government Chemist provides additional checks in
protecting the UK public from contaminated food
Government Chemist Review 2007 published
It is widely estimated that 25% of the world’s food crops are
contaminated by moulds that can produce toxic or cancer-causing
substances. Toxins produced by the mould Aspergillus, known as
aflatoxins, are of particular concern. In the UK, Port Health
Authorities have front-line responsibility for official controls on
the safety of food products imported into the UK. However, the
diversity of imported products continually highlights new areas of
uncertainty relating to the analytical methods employed,
particularly because measurements of aflatoxins, which are
hazardous even at trace concentrations, might be masked or skewed
by the bulk ingredients.
The Government Chemist can be
asked to step in if the test results are questioned. In 2007, the
21 samples receiving this top-level scrutiny included 13 submitted
for the determination of aflatoxins: varieties of nuts, chillies,
figs, and compound products, namely pistachio nougat and peanut
bites. Innovative approaches were needed to apply statutory
concentration limits for aflatoxins in nuts to the more complex
products: for example, extraction techniques were modified to cope
with the high sugar content. In all cases completed in 2007, the
Government Chemist confirmed the results of the official control
laboratory, and the food consignment was re-exported.
The Government Chemist has statutory roles and is appointed by
the Secretary of State to advise government, industry and all
concerned on the dependencies between analytical chemistry, policy,
standards and regulation. LGC, as the designated national
measurement institute for chemical and bioanalysis, coordinates the
Government Chemist’s innovation base and science and technology
programme at Teddington, Middlesex, UK.
The Government Chemist Review 2007, in which LGC’s work for the
Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) for the year 2007 is
summarised, is now available to all stakeholders. Key points
of this year’s review include:
- Validation of a detection method for walnut allergens in a new
laboratory suite established at LGC to help manage the growing
impact of food allergies on public health
- Support for the whole chemistry-using community through a
web-enabled Measurement and Standards for Emerging Technologies
(MSET) forum developed hand-in-hand with the Chemistry Innovation
Knowledge Transfer Network.
- The continuous upgrading and expansion of LGC’s underpinning
capabilities fostered by the retiring Government Chemist, Dr John
Marriott. John’s passion for measurement science and technology
will not be lost on his successor, Dr
Derek Craston, a determined innovator who takes up the post on
1 June 2008.
Electronic copies of the Government Chemist Review 2007 are
available at www.governmentchemist.org.uk
and can also be requested by email to: government.chemist@lgc.co.uk
Notes to Editors