APA Conference 2007
The Association of Public Analysts held its annual conference between 25-26 October 2007.
 The conference was hosted by the President Alan Richards in the historic city of Durham for the first time in the history of the Association. The conference delegates heard presentations from experts in brewing, scotch whisky and local industry, as well as from the Institute of Food Research. Policy issues were discussed with the Food Standards Agency and Sustain - the alliance for better food and farming. APA Members presented papers on research into sweeteners, microbiology of food, and vital "position papers" on the viability of the APA as a public service in the future.
The main theme of the conference was to focus upon new research and the current crisis facing Public Analysts in protecting the food in the UK in the future. Delegates heard that many laboratories had closed and the number of qualified Public Analysts now practising around the country has halved in just over 10 years, to only 39. With 27 of these over 50 years old now and only one new qualification awarded in each of the past 7 years, the President has declared a crisis.
Whilst local food authorities in the UK are legally required to appoint a Public Analyst, they are not bound to employ them or support them financially. Throughout 2007, negotiations have been ongoing with officers of the Food Standards Agency, which has a major stake in ensuring that there are sufficient laboratory resources in place to carry out the testing of food. Delegates heard that the Agency is close to launching a public consultation on the future provision of public analyst services in the UK. Members of the Association and the President are eagerly awaiting the outcome so they can get on with the jobs they have been qualified to do - maintain the quality of the nation's food supply by acting as the food police on behalf of consumers.
|
