Food Fraud and the Public Analyst

The Times Newspaper of November 17 2006 published an article on Food Fraud. The item may be seen by visiting the Website of The Times at www.timesonline.co.uk and using the search facility for "food fraud". Following the publication, former APA President Bob Stevens wrote to the paper explaining the role of the Public Analyst in detecting food fraud and the reducing spending on testing for food safety and quality. The text of the letter, which was published on 21 November 2006, is given below.

"Dear Sir
(re Food fraud item, Times Nov 17) The increase in the number of food fraud stories is mirrored by the steady decline in numbers of Public Analyst laboratories around the country. Public Analysts (not Trading Standards Officers or the Food Standards Agency) have the role in law of analysing food samples taken from shops and factories, and where necessary appearing in court and assisting a prosecution.

However, no one has seen fit to set a performance target for the amount of sampling done by local authorities, who have many other areas that are performance assessed to spend their money on. As a consequence local authorities (with a few notable exceptions) have been steadily reducing their spending on food safety and quality testing. In many parts of the country it now stands at less than 50p per person per year.
Consequently, food fraud is happening every day of the year, and is being picked up less effectively than consumers might imagine. At the same time, laboratories are closing because with fewer samples submitted they become uneconomic to run.

Despite their role in policing false health claims, dodgy meat products, illegal dyes in foods and excessive additives, Public Analysts fear that their little known consumer protection service is about to fade away through simple neglect.

A comprehensive review under Alan Turner OBE reported in 1998, but has not been properly acted upon. We call for an urgent consideration of the amount and means of funding this vital service before it is too late.

Bob Stevens
Past President of the Association of Public Analysts
Worcester.