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Joint Expert Group for Food Contact Materials (FCMJEG) member's biographies

Published 22 July 2021

1. Dr Sara Beverley

Sara Beverley has worked in analytical chemistry for over 26 years, focusing on the development and validation of detection methods for the food and environmental testing sector.

Her research interests include the development of analytical solutions using liquid chromatography and gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC‑MS/MS and GC‑MS/MS) and high‑resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) for the determination of chemical and natural contaminants in foods, consumer goods and environmental samples. She is currently involved in the development and expansion of analytical methods for per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including newly regulated zwitterionic and cationic species, and other emerging environmental contaminants of concern, such as brominated flame retardants, in food and environmental matrices.

Sara has made significant contributions to a number of United Kingdom‑funded and European Union (EU) consortium research projects and has been an invited speaker at international scientific conferences. She has participated in European Union Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) inspections as an independent laboratory expert and has also acted as a short‑term expert delivering training on behalf of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to scientists from developing countries.

2. Dr Emma Bradley

Emma Bradley studied at the University of Leeds, where she obtained a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Chemistry and a PhD in Bio‑organic Chemistry. Since 1999, she has worked at Fera, formerly the Central Science Laboratory (CSL), in York.

She is an analytical chemist by training and currently leads a team of approximately 100 scientists working on food quality and food safety. She has over 20 years’ experience in the analysis of chemical contaminants in foods, with particular expertise in chemical migration from food contact materials and articles.

Emma is actively involved in National Reference Laboratory (NRL) work on food contact materials, as Fera serves as the United Kingdom NRL in this area. She has authored or co‑authored more than 40 peer‑reviewed scientific publications and book chapters, primarily focused on food contact materials and migration. Her current research interests include the analysis of non‑intentionally added substances (NIAS) and the safety of biobased food contact materials.

3. Dr Gill Clare

Gill Clare is an independent consultant with over 30 years of experience in genetic toxicology, working across the academic, healthcare and private sectors. She specialises in the identification and characterisation of genotoxic hazards to human health and has experience in risk assessment, including for substances found in food.

She is a member of the Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COC), and has previously served on the Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COM), the Veterinary Residues Committee (VRC), and the Health and Safety Advisory Committee (HSAC), formerly the Advisory Committee on the Health of the Seafarer (ACHS).

Gill is currently a member of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) Register of Specialists, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals Independent Scientific Expert Pool (RISEP), and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) Scientific Advisory Group.

4. Dr Malcolm Driffield

Malcolm Driffield has over 25 years’ experience in analytical chemistry, providing advice and guidance on analytical techniques used to investigate issues across a range of commodities and industries, including food, beverages, packaging and food contact materials.

During 17 years at a United Kingdom Government laboratory, he gained extensive experience in analytical methodologies for the determination of chemical contaminants in foods and food contact materials, including substantial expertise in non‑targeted analysis techniques for identifying non‑intentionally added substances (NIAS).

In November 2018, Malcolm took up the role of Managing Scientist in the Chemical Regulation and Food Safety Team at Exponent International, a multidisciplinary engineering and scientific consultancy. In this role, he specialises in technical and regulatory problem‑solving, supporting businesses in obtaining authorisation for products in global markets, and advising on the application and interpretation of data‑rich modern analytical techniques.

5. Dr Natalia Falagán

Natalia Falagán was appointed to the Committee in June 2019. She is a Lecturer in Food Science and Technology at Cranfield University, where her work focuses on reducing food loss and waste.

Her research aims to understand the mechanisms underlying ripening and senescence in fresh produce, in order to develop innovative solutions such as novel packaging and storage strategies. She has international experience in food production systems, through collaborations with private companies and government‑funded research programmes.

Natalia is a Member of the Royal Society of Biology, a Member of the Institution of Agricultural Engineers, and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

6. Dr Jenny Odum

Jenny Odum has over 30 years’ experience as a toxicologist and is currently an independent consultant, working with private industry and public sector organisations.

She has a broad range of expertise across toxicological disciplines in both regulatory and research settings, and is an expert in endocrine disruption and reproductive toxicology. Her work includes dossier preparation and risk assessment for chemicals, agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals, and she provides specialist advice on endocrine disruption testing and assessment for human health.

Jenny has been a member of several expert panels of the Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development (OECD) involved in the development of testing strategies and test guidelines for endocrine disruption. She has authored or co‑authored over 70 peer‑reviewed scientific publications and book chapters, and has also contributed to OECD guidance documents on endocrine disrupters and reproductive toxicology.

7. Dr Michael Walker

Michael Walker is an Honorary Professor in the Institute for Global Food Security at Queen’s University Belfast, and runs an independent chemico‑legal consultancy.

He retired as Head of the Office of the Government Chemist at LGC in March 2021. He is a member of several advisory groups, including the International Life Sciences Institute Europe (ILSI Europe) Quantitative Allergen Risk Assessment Expert Group and the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) Consumer Safety Expert Advisory Committee, and contributes to a number of Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST) committees.

Michael was a board member of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) from 2000 to 2004. Further professional information is available via his Open Researcher and Contributor Identifier (ORCID):
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4350-5549