Allergen Risk Assessment webinar with expert Q&A panel

This webinar took place on 16 June between 15:00 and 16:15 BST. What the recording below:

Webinar information

During the webinar the presenters will explain why food allergens are a problem and give an overview of the iFAAM (Integrated approaches to Food Allergen and Allergy Management) tiered risk assessment and the VITAL (Voluntary Incidental Trace Allergen Labelling) Program, both of which have been designed to assist food companies and regulatory bodies in the implementation of food allergen risk assessment procedures.

The presentations will be followed by a Q&A session during which you can pose your questions to food allergen experts.

This event is intended for individuals currently working within the food allergen testing arena, the food industry and those involved with the UK official control system.

This is the second webinar in the Quarterly Webinar Series of the Joint Knowledge Transfer Framework for Food Standards and Food Safety Analysis, which is a cross-government project (funded by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Food Standards Agency, Food Standards Scotland and the Government Chemist) aimed at disseminating knowledge from government funded research to stakeholders to support UK laboratory capability and promote best practice in food safety and standards analysis.

Speakers

Ms Liz Walton, Senior Policy Advisor, Food Hypersensitivity, Food Standards Agency

Liz is a Senior Policy Advisor in the Food Hypersensitivity Team at the FSA. The FSA’s ambition is to improve the quality of life for people in the UK living with food hypersensitivity and to support them to make safe, informed food choices to effectively manage risk. Prior to the FSA, she worked in local government and the third sector developing public health policy. In a voluntary capacity, Liz works with midwives in Tanzania developing public health interventions for women and girls.

Dr Benjamin C. Remington, Food Allergy Consultant, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Dr. Remington is an expert in food allergen risk assessment, in both the clinical and food business operator settings.He has a dual role as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Food Allergy Research & Resource Program at the University of Nebraska (United States) and as a research & risk assessment consultant for the Remington Consulting Group B.V. (the Netherlands). He has recently been appointed as the chair of a new ILSI Europe Expert Group focused on improvement and harmonization of Allergen Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA).

Panelists

As well as the speakers, the Q&A panel will also include Dr Hazel Gowland and Dr Michael Walker.

Dr Hazel Gowland, Allergy Action UK

Dr Gowland is a food allergy advocate, expert patient/consumer, researcher, consultant and trainer who shaped the Anaphylaxis Campaign from its foundation in 1994. She lectures on Allergy, Human Nutrition and Public Analyst Masters programmes. Current studies include the quality of life and cost of living with food allergy, and on-going epidemiological work to understand and record severe and fatal reactions and the regulatory and forensic context of food allergy.

Dr Michael Walker, Honorary Professor, IGFS, Queen’s University, Belfast

Dr Walker is a leading expert in food safety and authenticity, and until recently Head of the Office of the Government Chemist. He has published numerous peer reviewed papers, several book chapters and technical articles on food hypersensitivity and ran a knowledge network on the topic (2011-2015). He is the Co-Chair of ILSI Europe Expert Group on allergen quantitative risk assessment.

The webinar will be introduced by Selvarani Elahi MBE, Deputy Government Chemist.

The panel will be chaired by Sterling Crew, Chair of the Food Authenticity Network. Sterling has 35 years’ experience of working in the field of national and international food safety, authenticity governance, sustainability and regulation. He started his career in government as a regulator before a successful track history as a retailer, brand owner and food manufacturer, which has given him a unique perspective on the challenges faced. He sits in the board of multiple organisations related to food analysis and testing and is an Independent Scientific Advisor at Campden BRI.

Agenda

Introdution: Selvarani Elahi MBE
Why are food allergens a problem?: Liz Walton
Allergens Risk Assessment: Dr Benjamin C. Remington
Q&A panel chaired by Sterling Crew