This issue of The World of Food Science provides an overview of some aspects of the analysis of foods. Theme papers cover the role and capability of modern food control; the importance of laboratory assessment and accreditation in producing meaningful results; and the latest in modern food analysis, including NMR / MRI.

Other features of this volume include the following reports and papers:

• Focus papers: we provide three of the IUFoST Scientific Information Bulletins related to aspects of food analysis / contamination:
• Chemical hazards;
• Shiga toxin-producing E. coli with particular reference to the sprouts outbreak in Germany in early 2011; and
• Radioactive fallout from the Japanese reactor accident;
• Food Security Update: reports from FAO and ISAAA;
• Association News: reports on the IUFoST/FIFSTA/VAFoST meeting in Vietnam, the VAFoST Visiting Professor Program, and the 44th AIFST Conference in Sydney;
• Regional Reports: a report of the opening of the U Mass Clydesdale Center;
• Student Perspectives: a Canadian student’s exposure to research in the UK;
• International Regulatory Update: a report on the latest meeting of the Codex Committee on Food Additives, an EU update, and news from WTO and FSANZ; and
• Calendar of Events: more conferences and symposia on the calendar for 2011-12

Comments are welcome: contact Ken Buckle (k.buckle@unsw.edu.au) or Judith Meech (jmeech@iufost.org) with contributions or suggestions.

Chemical Hazards in Food

Shiga Toxin Producing Escherichia coli: Germany 2011 Escherichia coli O1O4:H4 Outbreak Linked to Sprouted Seeds

Radioactive Fallout from the 2011 Japan Nuclear Plant Accident and Some Recommended Precautions and Countermeasures

Does Analytical Food Control Live Up To Expectations?
A ‘Perspective’ paper by Dr Koni Grob of the Official Food Control Authority of the Canton Zurich in Switzerland (Grob 2009) in a special issue of the Journal of Separation Science in 2009 on food analysis provides some sobering thoughts on the role of food analysts and the importance of analytical food control in controlling food safety and quality and public health.

Laboratory Accreditation: the NATA Experience
The National Association of Testing Authorities, Australia (NATA, www.nata.com.au) is Australia’s Government-endorsed provider of accreditation for laboratories and similar testing facilities, and the peak authority in Australia for accreditation of inspecting bodies. NATA is the world’s largest association of accredited laboratories, and the world’s longest-standing comprehensive laboratory accreditation provider (since 1947). It is supported by thousands of volunteer peer technical experts who assist in the evaluation of laboratories, and it is independently evaluated by international counterparts to assure world’s best practices. NATA is a private, not-for-profit company, owned and governed by its members and representatives from government, industry and professional bodies.

Modern Food Analysis – do we know what's up for lunch?
The free movement of safe and wholesome food is an essential aspect of international trade and contributes significantly to the health and well-being of citizens and to their social and economic interests. Due to globalization and the availability of new technological processes, the food and feed sector is becoming more and more complex.

Food is a complicated matrix and the number of analytes of interest is almost infinite. They range from well defined analytes such as elements and small molecules, to macromolecules (DNA, proteins) and properties which are defined by the methodology applied for analysis (e.g. total fat, dietary fibre, peroxide value, etc). The drastic increase in international trade of food products has produced an urgent need for the global comparability of analytical results. Food legislation demands the planned testing of foodstuffs for a broad variety of purposes, i.e. conformity to product specifications in commerce, conformity to label declarations in retailing, and above all health and consumer protection (conformity with maximum residue limits, detection and prevention of fraud, etc).

Comparisons of NMR / MRI Technique With Other Analytical Methodologies in the Field of Food Science and Technology
This review gathers studies which compare NMR approaches for food analysis with other traditional destructive and/or non-destructive analytical approaches in food science and technology. These reported comparative studies clearly illustrate the advantages available with NMR as well as recognising the disadvantages which need to be addressed. It becomes evident that synergistic combinations of NMR / MRI with other analytic techniques would broaden their applicable scope and applicability in the field of food science and technology.

• WFS Editorial Board

Danone, Mengniu form joint venture to develop dairy products in China

Pepperidge Farm, Campbell’s win DuPont Packaging Award

Menu labeling may have a small impact on calorie intake for women

African American students may drink more soda if sold at school

U.S. House Agriculture Committee approves farm bill

IUFoST Scientific Information Bulletins

• Best Practices in Risk & Crisis Communication
• Biotechnology & Food
• Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)
• Chemical Hazards in Food
• Emerging and New Technologies in Food Science and Technology
• Equivalence in Food Safety Management
• Food Allergy
• Food Defense
• Functional Foods
• Life Cycle Analysis and Carbon Footprinting with respect to Sustainability in the Agri-food sector
• Nanotechnology & Food
• Obesity
• Organic Food
• Safety, Risk & the Precautionary Principle
• Taking the Measure of Water
• Trans Fatty Acids
• Water for Food and Farming

IFT Scientific Status Summaries

IFT Expert Reports

• Antimicrobial Resistance: Implications for the Food System

FAO Food Safety Risk Analysis: A guide for national food safety authorities

FAO/WHO guidance on the application of HACCP in small food businesses

WHO Food Safety - Five Keys to Safer Food Manual (English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Arabic)

IFST Information Statements

• IUFoST Food-Related Databased and Information Sources
• IFT Healthful Foods Directory
• IFT Services Directory
• IFT Food Technology Buyer's Guide