Food Standards Agency
Wednesday 19 November 2008
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What is RSS?At the meeting of the Interdepartmental Group on Microbiology (IDGM) on 18 July 1997, a decision was made to rename the Group the Microbiological Safety of Food Funders Group (MSFFG) and to extend the membership to include all public funders of microbiological food safety in the UK.
The MSFFG was established in January 1998 and is a cross-representational body involving bodies who fund microbiological research in the area of food safety. The MSFFG includes officials from the Food Standards Agency, Food Standards Agency Scotland ( www.food.gov.uk/scotland ), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ( (External) www.defra.gov.uk ), Department of Health ( (External) www.dh.gov.uk ), Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for Northern Ireland ( (External) www.dardni.gov.uk ), Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council ( (External) www.bbsrc.ac.uk ). The MSFFG Membership was extended in 2005 to include representatives from the Meat and Livestock Commission ( (External) www.mlc.org.uk ), Food Safety Promotion Board ( (External) www.safefoodonline.com ), Medical Research Council ( (External) www.mrc.ac.uk ), the Environment Agency ( (External) www.environment-agency.gov.uk ) and the Health Protection Agency ( (External) www.hpa.org.uk )
Back to topThe MSFFG considers the whole of the food chain and has the following terms of reference:
'To assist the co-ordination of publicly funded research and development on the microbiological safety of the food chain with a view to informing the R&D effort, identifying gaps and overlaps, and providing reports as appropriate.'
The MSFFG does not have a role in managing or directing research projects or programmes, nor does it hold a budget. These aspects of research are the responsibility of the funding organisations.
The common food poisoning organisms are included with its remit, as are 'emerging' foodborne pathogens. The Group will discuss specific areas of food microbiology research such as those relating to HACCP or Microbiological Risk Assessment. The MSFFG will also cover work on organisms which are predominantly of animal welfare and health significance (e.g. Mycobacterium bovis, Brucella , etc.) but only where they have a food safety implication.
The MSFFG does not have a role in the co-ordination of microbiological food surveillance. However, the MSFFG will cover research in support of surveillance.
Back to topThe MSFFG has agreed a standard format for categorising Government funded research relating to the microbiological safety of food. This has enabled the production of a database ( (External) www.msffg.org.uk ) of all currently funded relevant research, which will be updated regularly. The MSFFG will agree from time to time the best means of disseminating of this information to interested parties.
MSFFG meetings may focus on a particular area of research (e.g. VTEC, Campylobacter, Salmonella). Through the exchange of information on the work currently funded and subsequent discussion, a position paper on currently funded for each identified topic will be produced. The MSFFG will agree the best means of disseminating these position papers to interested parties. The MSFFG welcome comments on these papers.
Back to topMSFFG Members, as representatives of funding bodies, have the responsibility to provide project details of all their currently funded research relating to the microbiological safety of food in an agreed format. This includes the project number, the project title, the organisation carrying out the research, and the start date and duration of the work.
MSFFG Members have the responsibility to submit project details and supporting abstracts and other relevant information on identified topics of research for discussion at MSFFG meetings and subsequent production of position papers.
MSFFG Members have the responsibility to assist with the implementation of the terms of reference.
Back to topA Co-ordinator for the MSFFG supports the Group's activities through maintenance of the database of relevant research and drafting of reports.
Back to top
Judith Hilton (Chair)
FSA Microbiological Safety Division
Paul Cook
FSA Microbiological Safety Division
Lucy Foster
FSA Microbiological Safety Division
Mary Howell
FSA Meat Hygiene & Veterinary Division
Jacqui McElhiney
FSA Scotland
Gerry McCurdy
FSA Northern Ireland
Ailsa Wight
Department of Health - General Health Protection Branch
Stephen Wyllie
Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - New, Endemic & Zoonotic Disease Division
Yvonne Boyd
Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Mike Doel
Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - Food Technology & LINK
Adam Staines
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Sydney Neill
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for Northern Ireland
Jo Dekkers
Medical Research Council
David McCleery
Food Safety Promotion Board, Ireland
Kerry Walsh
Environment Agency
John Threlfall
Health Protection Agency
Contributory Members
Nick Ambrose
Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department
Phil Morgan
FSA Wales
MSFFG Co-ordinator
Celia Caulcott
C+C
Secretariat
Bobby Kainth
FSA Microbiological Safety Division
Helen Long
FSA Microbiological Safety Division
A new report in a series providing an overview of publicly funded research relating to microbiological safety of food has been produced by the Microbiological Safety of Food Funders Group (MSFFG).
A report in a series providing an overview of publicly funded research relating to the microbiological safety of food has been produced by the Microbiological Safety of Food Funders Group (MSFFG).
A new report in a series providing an overview of publicly funded research relating to microbiological safety of food has been produced by the Microbiological Safety of Food Funders Group (MSFFG).
A report in a series providing an overview of publicly funded research relating to the microbiological safety of food has been produced by the Microbiological Safety of Food Funders Group (MSFFG).
An updated (May 2004) report in a series providing an overview of publicly funded research relating to the microbiological safety of food has been produced by the Microbiological Safety of Food Funders Group (MSFFG).
An updated (December 2005) report in a series providing an overview of publicly funded research relating to microbiological safety of food has been produced by the Microbiological Safety of Food Funders group (MSFFG).
A report in a series providing an overview of publicly funded research relating to the microbiological safety of food has been produced by the Microbiological Safety of Food Funders Group (MSFFG).
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