IUFoST Scientific Information Bulletins (SIB)

BEST PRACTICES IN RISK AND CRISIS COMMUNICATION

Advice for Food Scientists and Technologists
October 2007

BIOTECHNOLOGY AND FOOD

February 2005

BOVINE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY (BSE)

February 2004

EQUIVALENCE IN FOOD SAFETY MANAGEMENT

December 2007

FOOD DEFENSE

September 2007

NANOTECHNOLOGY AND FOOD

December 2007

OBESITY

Revised October 2007

SAFETY, RISK AND THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE

August 2007

TRANS FATTY ACIDS

May 2006

Introduction

An IUFoST Scientific Information Bulletin is not an exhaustive dissertation or review, but a brief outline of the scientific principles involved in the topic and, for each, provision of key reliable on-line and other sources of further information.

At whom are they aimed?

Primarily, the 200,000+ members of IUFoST's Adhering Bodies worldwide.

Secondly, as a guide for legislators around the world needing a reliable science-base for their legislative work on the topics.

Thirdly, although they are not mainly targeted at IUFoST Fellows or other experts -- even an expert seeking information outside his/her area of special expertise could find such a Bulletin a useful jumping-off point.

Why the need for IUFoST Scientific Information Bulletins?

On virtually all major food science topics there is a vast amount of material already published. Also some of IUFoST’s larger Adhering Bodies publish Information Statements (IFST) or Scientific Status Summaries (IFT). Anyone interrogating Google on any major food science topic will get a vast number of “hits”, but with no way of know which are reliable science-based and which are not. The IUFoST Scientific Information Bulletins are designed to separate the wheat from the chaff, by providing an IUFoST “quality approved” reliable science-based list of sources for each topic.

How and by whom are the prepared?

Each is prepared by an expert or small team of experts selected by the Scientific Council. It has access to various resources but the main expert resource at its disposal is the International Academy Fellows and the growing database of Fellows who have already agreed to help and their respective areas of expertise.

When a draft has been prepared it is reviewed by the IUFoST Scientific Council and finally approved. The Scientific Council is the body responsible for the quality and integrity of IUFoST science activities. It is elected by the General Assembly from International Academy Fellows nominated by the Academy.