New body set up to help inspectors spot food fraud
The Institute of Food Safety, Integrity & Protection (IFSIP) was launched at the House of Commons on June 24 at an event (see picture right) hosted by Sir Kevin Barron, MP, vice president of the CIEH.
Head of IFSIP, Jenny Morris, MBE, said the IFSIP advisory board had decided initially to concentrate on the skills needed to tackle food fraud.
First topic area
“The first topic area for IFSIP focus, identified by the advisory board, was food fraud or food crime and the need to fill skills gaps in addressing it,” said Morris. She added IFSIP aimed to support good standards of consumer protection.
“This has become ever more necessary as the food supply has become increasingly complex and resources, both in management and in supply, have become scarcer,” said Morris, who will be speaking at Food Manufacture’s Food safety conference – Safe and legal food in a changing world, which takes place at the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon, Warwickshire on October 15. For more information and to book, click here.
Graham Jukes, CIEH chief executive, said the IFSIP would allow different organisations to work together to give professional support to all those throughout the food industry.
More coordinated approach
“In the light of Professor [Chris] Elliott’s review [into the 2013 horsemeat scandal] the need is for a far more coordinated approach between the professional and other groups, trade associations, interest groups, academia and research establishments in order to tackle food crime,” said Jukes.
“It is designed to be collaborative in nature. Its membership model will encourage membership of kindred professional bodies and seek to enhance collaborative work between the professions and seek to harmonise the qualifications, skills and competencies into a clear framework of professional development and registration.”
