Food Standards Australia New Zealand relies on expertise from both inside and outside the agency. This expertise is vital in the risk analysis process.
Internal expertise
FSANZ has staff with expertise in a broad range of scientific disciplines, including toxicology, nutrition, food technology, microbiology, biotechnology, public health, immunology, chemistry, mathematical modelling, epidemiology, behavioural and social science and regulatory analysis. Our expertise enables us to deal with a broad range of food regulatory issues, using the risk analysis framework. FSANZ has specialised risk assessment and risk management units. Our risk management units include staff with expertise in the use of food labelling as an effective risk management tool.
Our staff have experience working in different sectors including academia, industry, public health and policy, and food safety enforcement. They continue to strengthen their external links through membership of professional associations at both national and international levels and through participation in forums such as the Regulatory Science Network, which not only enables them to discuss a broad range of technical and scientific issues, but also promotes interagency cooperation in food regulatory science.
External expertise
FSANZ maximises our access to, and use of, external experts to provide advice on issues for which we do not have the specific technical or scientific expertise in-house. These experts may be from research agencies, universities and other organisations. Working with these experts helps to build our knowledge and facilitates a greater understanding and consensus on the science underpinning our work.
These experts may help us by collaborating on projects or they can be members of groups that provide advice to FSANZ.
We also ask external experts to peer review our work.
Under the FSANZ Fellows program we have set up a network of experts to provide us with objective expert advice and critical review of our work. This program also helps to develop academic links and networks.
FSANZ also uses national and international networks to collaborate on projects and issues. These networks include the International Food Chemical Safety Liaison Group, the International Food Microbiological Safety Liaison Group and the Food Safety Quadrilateral Group. Read more about our international engagement.
To enhance collaboration with consumer and public health groups on a range of key food safety issues, FSANZ established the Consumer and Public Health Dialogue (CPHD). The CPHD is made up of representatives from peak consumer and public health bodies and public health academics.