China will form a powerful new competition and food safety regulator in a bid to ramp up oversight of mergers and acquisitions and price-fixing as the world’s second-largest economy seeks to make policymaking more efficient
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A huge and deadly outbreak of listeria in South Africa could alter the country’s approach to food-borne disease and prompt improvements in food safety standards, a leading health official said on Friday.
The urgent need to reform the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA’s) regulatory approach was brought into sharp focus by the alleged food hygiene incidents uncovered by the press investigation at the 2 Sisters Food Group West Bromwich chicken cutting plant last year, according to an expert on food safety.
Job description
To protect public health, robust evidence is vital. The job involves carrying out microbiological risk assessments in relation to the food chain, in particular for microbiological incidents and outbreaks, food defence and emergency planning. The postholder will also provide microbiological risk assessments to inform the development and delivery of policies and guidance by risk managers. The job involves collaborating with other parts of the Agency, other government departments and liasing with external organisations. The job is in an exciting and challenging technical area which informs decisions that help to keep the public safe on a daily basis.
The Food Standards Agency is a non-ministerial department of 1050 people, with a big vision – to drive change in the food system so that it delivers “food we can trust”.
Person specification
The post requires a good knowledge of microbiology and the ability to apply this to a variety of situations to assess risk. A degree in an appropriate life science (preferably microbiology) is essential. To be the best candidate for the role, you are likely to have a post-graduate qualification and/or experience in microbiological risk assessment, food microbiology, or public health microbiology. Skills in predictive microbiological modelling would be beneficial. Please provide details of relevant qualifications and experience in the application form.
Qualifications
As stated above, a degree in an appropriate life science (preferably microbiology) is essential. To be the best candidate for the role, you are likely to have a post-graduate qualification and/or experience in microbiological risk assessment, food microbiology, or public health microbiology. Please provide details of relevant qualifications in the application form.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland is responsible for the enforcement of all food legislation in Ireland. The
Authority carries out this enforcement function through "service contracts" with official agencies.
The jobholder will be responsible, as part of a team led by the Enforcements Policy manager, for supporting
the management of these service contracts with official agencies so that food legislation is enforced in
compliance with the FSAI legal responsibility and mission. The appointee will also be responsible for
providing advice/support on the use of enforcement powers as required.
How to Apply
An application should be made by submitting your Curriculum Vitae with a comprehensive covering letter,
outlining your suitability against the requirements of the position, by email to: recruitment@fsai.ie
Closing Date
The completed application must be submitted no later than 5.00pm Thursday 29th March 2018.
Selection Process
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland will convene a selection panel to carry out the competitive stages of
the selection process to the highest standards of best practice. The approach employed may include:
- Shortlisting of candidates on the basis of the information contained in the application (CV and covering
letter) to reduce the list of candidates to a more manageable number for interview - A preliminary interview which may include a written exercise or assessment
- A final competitive interview which may also include a presentation
- Any other tests or exercises that may be deemed appropriate
Interview Dates
The onus is on all applicants who are shortlisted for interview to ensure they are available for interview on
the identified date.
We would like to inform you that EFSA has published the Call for data relevant to the hazard assessment of Bisphenol A (BPA) - (EFSA-Q-2018-00221).
CDC launched NORS Dashboard, an online data tool with public access to nearly 20 years of information on foodborne, waterborne, and other enteric (intestinal) disease outbreaks.
Chicken has been plucked as the first product to go on blockchain in an innovative step by a major French retailer. More products, such as eggs and mince, are set to follow.
Two academics have called the Food Standards Agency’s programme of change into question, saying it is a “bad policy being rushed through when Ministers and Parliament are not paying attention”.
Researchers from North Carolina State University have pinpointed new compounds that may be effective in containing the virulence of Listeria, a bacterium that can cause severe food poisoning and death.
The watchdog said consumers needed reassurance that leaving the EU will give them a better deal on issues including food safety and energy bills.
The European Commission is to launch a centre to share scientific knowledge on food fraud and quality issues.
Mash Direct have announced their products with be available in the US for the first time this week. The Comber-based firm will be selling eight of their products in Key Food supermarkets throughout New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
The World Wildlife Fund has started a project funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to track fresh and frozen tuna in the Western and Central Pacific.
Bacteria from humans and animals continue to show resistance to antimicrobials according to a new report published by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
The top nine retailers across the UK have now published on their websites, their testing results on campylobacter contamination in UK produced fresh whole chickens (covering October to December 2017).
Did you know that spices can contain pathogenic bacteria and filth? The FDA has published the 2017 Risk Profile of Pathogens and Filth in Spices to “describe the nature and extend of the pubic health risk posed by consumption of spices in the U.S.”
The Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland are today publishing details of a major review into the sites where meat products are processed and stored in the UK.
Most uses of neonicotinoid pesticides represent a risk to wild bees and honeybees, according to assessments published today by EFSA. The Authority has updated its risk assessments of three neonicotinoids – clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam..
