Public Analyst
Encyclopedia
Public Analysts are scientists in the United Kingdom
and the Republic of Ireland
whose principal task is to ensure the safety and correct description of food by testing for compliance with legislation. Most Public Analysts are also Agricultural Analysts who carry out similar work on animal feedingstuffs and fertilisers.
Public Analysts are scientists in the United Kingdom
and the Republic of Ireland
whose principal task is to ensure the safety and correct description of food by testing for compliance with legislation.Public Analyst's Laboratory, Dublin Most Public Analysts are also Agricultural Analysts who carry out similar work on animal feedingstuffs and fertilisers.
Public Analysts are scientists in the United Kingdom
and the Republic of Ireland
whose principal task is to ensure the safety and correct description of food by testing for compliance with legislation.Public Analyst's Laboratory, Dublin Most Public Analysts are also Agricultural Analysts who carry out similar work on animal feedingstuffs and fertilisers. http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1970/pdf/ukpga_19700040_en.pdf Nowadays this includes checking that the food labelling is accurate. They also test drinking water, and may carry out chemical and biological tests on other consumer products.The Public Analyst Service While much of the work is done by other scientists and technicians in the laboratory, the Public Analyst has legal responsibility for the accuracy of the work and the validity of any opinion expressed on the results reported. There is an Association of Public Analysts, which includes members with similar roles if different titles in other countries.Association of Public Analysts
, Birmingham
and Dublin. Since the separation of the UK and Ireland, they operate under different legislation, but the term and general duties are the same. The original work was chemical testing, and this is still a major part, but nowadays microbiological examination of food is an important activity, particularly in Scotland where Public Analyst laboratories also carry out a statutory Food Examiner role.
. All local authorities are required to appoint a Public Analyst,http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1990/ukpga_19900016_en_5#pt3-pb1-l1g27 although there have always been fewer Public Analysts and their laboratories than local authorities, most being shared by a number of local authorities. On the UK mainland there has always been a mixture of public sector and private sector laboratories. This remains the case today - but they all provide an equivalent service, and avoidance of conflicts of interest are ensured by the statutory terms of appointment. There is a statutory qualification requirementStatutory Instrument 1990 No. 2463 The Food Safety (Sampling and Qualifications) Regulations 1990 for Public Analysts, known as the Mastership in Chemical Analysis (MChemA), awarded by the Royal Society of Chemistry
. This is a specialist postgraduate qualification by examination that verifies knowledge and understanding of food and its potential defects, interpretation of food law, and the application and interpretation of chemical analysis for food law enforcement.
The Public Analysts’ laboratories must be third-party accredited to British Standard ISO 17025.International Standard ISO/IEC 17025:2005 - General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories BSI
In the mid 1980s there were some 40 Public Analyst Laboratories in the UK with over 100 appointed Public Analysts. By 1993 that had reduced to 34 Laboratories and around 80 Public Analysts, and by 2010 the number of Public Analyst Laboratories in the UK had reduced to 22http://www.publicanalyst.com/The_Laboratories/the_laboratories.html with only about 26 Public Analysts.
Enforcement of food law in the UK is by local authorities, principally their environmental health officers
and trading standards officers
. Whilst these officers are empowered to take samples of food, the actual assessment in terms of chemical analysis or microbiological examination and subsequent interpretation that are necessary to determine whether a food complies with legislation is carried out by Public Analysts and Food Examiners respectively, scientists whose qualifications and experience are specified by regulations.
, Dublin and Galway
provide an analytical service to the Food Safety Authority.
In addition to their central rôle in relation to food law enforcement, Public Analysts provide expert scientific support to local authorities and the private sector in various other areas, for example they:
Local authorities have a duty to check the safety of food and to provide adequate protection of the consumer. To achieve that they devise sampling plans, seeking to balance their need to monitor food against limited resources and other demands on their budgets. A typical sampling plan for a local authority might include samples of the following:
samples from a particular source - a supermarket, manufacturer or caterer or country
meat products - to check %meat or %fat or non-meat or additives or species
product marketing claims
undeclared ingredients in prepared foods
contaminated products
nutritional content of prepared meals
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
whose principal task is to ensure the safety and correct description of food by testing for compliance with legislation. Most Public Analysts are also Agricultural Analysts who carry out similar work on animal feedingstuffs and fertilisers.
Public Analysts are scientists in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
whose principal task is to ensure the safety and correct description of food by testing for compliance with legislation.Public Analyst's Laboratory, Dublin Most Public Analysts are also Agricultural Analysts who carry out similar work on animal feedingstuffs and fertilisers.
Public Analysts are scientists in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
whose principal task is to ensure the safety and correct description of food by testing for compliance with legislation.Public Analyst's Laboratory, Dublin Most Public Analysts are also Agricultural Analysts who carry out similar work on animal feedingstuffs and fertilisers. http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1970/pdf/ukpga_19700040_en.pdf Nowadays this includes checking that the food labelling is accurate. They also test drinking water, and may carry out chemical and biological tests on other consumer products.The Public Analyst Service While much of the work is done by other scientists and technicians in the laboratory, the Public Analyst has legal responsibility for the accuracy of the work and the validity of any opinion expressed on the results reported. There is an Association of Public Analysts, which includes members with similar roles if different titles in other countries.Association of Public Analysts
Origins
The office of Public Analyst was established in 1860, with the Act for Preventing the Adulteration of Articles of Food and Drink, the first three appointments being in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and Dublin. Since the separation of the UK and Ireland, they operate under different legislation, but the term and general duties are the same. The original work was chemical testing, and this is still a major part, but nowadays microbiological examination of food is an important activity, particularly in Scotland where Public Analyst laboratories also carry out a statutory Food Examiner role.
UK
The primary UK legislation is the Food Safety Act 1990Food Safety Act 1990
The Food Safety Act 1990, is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is the statutory obligation to treat food intended for human consumption in a controlled and managed way....
. All local authorities are required to appoint a Public Analyst,http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1990/ukpga_19900016_en_5#pt3-pb1-l1g27 although there have always been fewer Public Analysts and their laboratories than local authorities, most being shared by a number of local authorities. On the UK mainland there has always been a mixture of public sector and private sector laboratories. This remains the case today - but they all provide an equivalent service, and avoidance of conflicts of interest are ensured by the statutory terms of appointment. There is a statutory qualification requirementStatutory Instrument 1990 No. 2463 The Food Safety (Sampling and Qualifications) Regulations 1990 for Public Analysts, known as the Mastership in Chemical Analysis (MChemA), awarded by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Royal Society of Chemistry
The Royal Society of Chemistry is a learned society in the United Kingdom with the goal of "advancing the chemical sciences." It was formed in 1980 from the merger of the Chemical Society, the Royal Institute of Chemistry, the Faraday Society and the Society for Analytical Chemistry with a new...
. This is a specialist postgraduate qualification by examination that verifies knowledge and understanding of food and its potential defects, interpretation of food law, and the application and interpretation of chemical analysis for food law enforcement.
The Public Analysts’ laboratories must be third-party accredited to British Standard ISO 17025.International Standard ISO/IEC 17025:2005 - General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories BSI
BSI
BSI is a three letter acronym that can stand for:* Backside illumination, a type of digital image sensor* The Baker Street Irregulars, a fictional group featured in Sherlock Holmes stories* Banca della Svizzera Italiana* Bentley Systems Inc....
In the mid 1980s there were some 40 Public Analyst Laboratories in the UK with over 100 appointed Public Analysts. By 1993 that had reduced to 34 Laboratories and around 80 Public Analysts, and by 2010 the number of Public Analyst Laboratories in the UK had reduced to 22http://www.publicanalyst.com/The_Laboratories/the_laboratories.html with only about 26 Public Analysts.
Enforcement of food law in the UK is by local authorities, principally their environmental health officers
Environmental health
Environmental health is the branch of public health that is concerned with all aspects of the natural and built environment that may affect human health...
and trading standards officers
Trading Standards Institute
The Trading Standards Institute is the professional association which represents trading standards professionals in the UK and overseas.-History:...
. Whilst these officers are empowered to take samples of food, the actual assessment in terms of chemical analysis or microbiological examination and subsequent interpretation that are necessary to determine whether a food complies with legislation is carried out by Public Analysts and Food Examiners respectively, scientists whose qualifications and experience are specified by regulations.
Ireland
Public Analyst Laboratories in CorkCork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, Dublin and Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
provide an analytical service to the Food Safety Authority.
Practice
The Public Analyst runs a laboratory which will:- Analyse food:
- for composition: many foods have legally defined, customary or expected compositions
- for additivesFood additiveFood additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or enhance its taste and appearance.Some additives have been used for centuries; for example, preserving food by pickling , salting, as with bacon, preserving sweets or using sulfur dioxide as in some wines...
: which must be legally permitted and within prescribed concentrations - for contaminationFood contaminantsFood contamination refers to the presence in food of harmful chemicals and microorganisms which can cause consumer illness. This article addresses the chemical contamination of foods, as opposed to microbiological contamination, which can be found under Foodborne...
: chemical, microbiologicalMicrobiologyMicrobiology is the study of microorganisms, which are defined as any microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell , cell clusters or no cell at all . This includes eukaryotes, such as fungi and protists, and prokaryotes... - to assess the accuracy of labelling
- to investigate whether complaints by the public are justified
- Interpret relevant law passed by the EU and UK or Ireland:
- act as expert witnessExpert witnessAn expert witness, professional witness or judicial expert is a witness, who by virtue of education, training, skill, or experience, is believed to have expertise and specialised knowledge in a particular subject beyond that of the average person, sufficient that others may officially and legally...
in prosecutions
- act as expert witness
In addition to their central rôle in relation to food law enforcement, Public Analysts provide expert scientific support to local authorities and the private sector in various other areas, for example they:
- analyse drinkingDrinking waterDrinking water or potable water is water pure enough to be consumed or used with low risk of immediate or long term harm. In most developed countries, the water supplied to households, commerce and industry is all of drinking water standard, even though only a very small proportion is actually...
, bathing water including swimming pools, industrial effluents, industrial process waters and other waters - investigate environmental products and processes including assessing land contamination, building materials and examining fuels
- advise on waste managementWaste managementWaste management is the collection, transport, processing or disposal,managing and monitoring of waste materials. The term usually relates to materials produced by human activity, and the process is generally undertaken to reduce their effect on health, the environment or aesthetics...
- investigate and monitor air pollutionAir pollutionAir pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or cause damage to the natural environment or built environment, into the atmosphere....
- advise on consumer safety - in particular consumer products such as toys
- monitor asbestos and other hazards
- carry out toxicological work to assist HM Coroners
Sampling
Sampling is largely outside the control of the Public Analyst.Local authorities have a duty to check the safety of food and to provide adequate protection of the consumer. To achieve that they devise sampling plans, seeking to balance their need to monitor food against limited resources and other demands on their budgets. A typical sampling plan for a local authority might include samples of the following:
samples from a particular source - a supermarket, manufacturer or caterer or country
meat products - to check %meat or %fat or non-meat or additives or species
product marketing claims
undeclared ingredients in prepared foods
contaminated products
nutritional content of prepared meals