Queen’s University Belfast was recently placed No 1 in the UK for agriculture, veterinary and food science in the Research Exercise Framework (REF 2021) – an independent assessment of research excellence in UK universities. These subject areas fall within the Institute for Global Food Security.

Food and Agriculture at Queen’s were also ranked No 1 in the UK in the 2022 Complete University Guide; 2022 Guardian UK Universities Guide; and 2022 Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide.

Food Science at Queen’s sits in the World Top 200 in the 2021 Academic Ranking of World Universities list.

GfL is an independent private company for the service and consultancy of the whole food industry, established in 1984.

Covering the entire value chain for fruit and vegetables products, working for growers, distributors, processing and bottling industry as well as retailers. Our Quality Management is based on the norm ISO/IEC 17025 since 1992.

GfL is one of the world wide leading laboratories in the field of fruit and vegetable juice. Authenticity analysis of fruit and vegetable juices as well as related products is our key asset. GfL is active, partially in leading positions, in many organizations and boards. Technical innovation is our motivation to constantly improve and develop analyzing methods and processes.

Analysis conducted Bangor University produced improved protocols for detecting adulteration in commercial rice samples labelled as “Basmati”. These protocols were used to demonstrate that high levels of adulteration were present in UK commercial samples collected by the UK Rice Association in 2003. This foundation work underpinned a test court case in 2005. 

Standard Operating Procedures for both microsatellite and InDels were developed and optimised. They form the basis of most Basmati authentication testing used in enforcement in Europe and Asia at present. We have recently screened available rice standards with novel KASP assays.

Campden BRI has been operating services in food authenticity for over 20 years and has considerable knowledge of the techniques applied in the area, including meat, fish and seafood speciation, olive oil analysis and spice adulteration.

Campden BRI provides services underpinned by methods developed and approved in line with ISO17025.

The food testing laboratory at Cramlington is part of the global SGS group and is a UKAS (ISO17025) accredited analytical laboratory specialising in molecular and immunological detection of contaminants and adulterants in foodstuffs.

Reading Scientific Services Ltd (RSSL) has been providing analytical, product development, investigative, training and consultancy services to the global food and consumer goods industries for over 30 years.

RSSL's chemical, physical, biochemical and biological services are wide ranging and provide support through the full product lifecycle. RSSL is routinely inspected by UKAS, FDA and MHRA, which ensures the analytical services meet the needs of industry.

Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB) is a research institute that focuses on the underlying science of food and health, tackling challenges that include food safety and security.

QIB offers resources and expertise for food authenticity methods development and testing using molecular spectroscopy, proteomics and organic mass spectrometry, chromatography, and statistics and software development.

Premier Analytical Services (PAS) are eight accredited laboratories operating as one Centre of Expertise, internationally respected for providing high quality analytical services and unrivalled technical expertise to the food industry.

PAS has many years in both classical analytical chemistry and modern molecular methods including Next Generation Sequencing as well as quantitative PCR design and analysis. PAS utilises the most modern and effective approach to investigate authenticity issues, including the use of NGS, PCR and other molecular techniques.

PAS was the first UK laboratory to attain UKAS accreditation for quantitative GMO analysis by real-time PCR.

Minerva Scientific is a specialist analytical testing laboratory established in 2002 and is recognised as a leading authority on honey testing with over a decade of experience in the field.

Minerva provide a range of honey specific relevant ISO17025 UKAS accredited testing and consultancy services.

Minerva Scientific has MHRA GMP approval for the chemical testing of pharmaceutical and veterinary products.

LGC, founded in 1842, is an international organisation providing excellence in investigative, diagnostic and measurement science, and remains at the forefront of testing approaches, techniques, instrumentation and policy associated with food authenticity.

 LGC, founded in 1842, is an international organisation providing excellence in investigative, diagnostic and measurement science, and remains at the forefront of testing approaches, techniques, instrumentation and policy associated with food authenticity.

LGC is committed to providing open access to best measurement practice guidance for food authenticity testing.

LGC provides:

• A range of expert scientific functions and services in partnership with government, business and academia.

• World-leading measurement science, solving complex global challenges, ensuring trust and confidence in high quality measurement and research.

Food Forensics is an accredited testing laboratory undertaking analysis of food, beverages, feed and environmental swabs.

Food Forensics offer advice and support on authenticity testing; from horizon scanning tools (Risk Newsletter and on-line Knowledge Base platform), risk profiling, supply chain mapping, risk management to testing programmes and results follow up; delivering added value as well as due diligence.

Food Forensics has a proven track record and shares expertise in animal nutrition, food safety, production systems, commercial food chains and supply chain risk management as well as forensic science, analytical chemistry, SIRA, qPCR, NGS and ELISA.

Fera Science’s origins began over a 100 years ago as the Institute for Plant Pathology.

Fera's wide expertise in food and plant analysis provides it with novel avenues for food authenticity verification. It has an expert team participating in food authenticity research, as well as offering varied and unique solutions across a range of food authenticity issues.

Fera has been instrumental in the development of guidelines for method validation, are regularly called upon to interpret results, and lead the international effort to standardise analytical techniques across food authenticity