Key messages
- An authorised analyst is a person authorised to carry out analyses for the purposes of the Food Act 1984 (the Act).
- Analysts test food samples taken by Victorian Councils to ensure that food is safe and suitable for consumption and has been handled correctly.
- A certificate of analysis, signed by an authorised analyst, can stand alone as sufficient evidence in a prosecution taken against a food business under the Act.
Section 30 of the Act provides that the Secretary of the Department of Health may authorise appropriately qualified persons to carry out analyses for the purposes of the Food Act 1984 (the Act). The secretary must maintain a list of authorised analysts, which is publicly available. The list of authorised analysts in Victoria is provided below.
The roles and responsibilities of authorised analysts are set out under section 31 of the Act. The primary responsibility is to test food samples taken in accordance with the Act by local council environmental health officers.
Analysts must be suitably qualified but must also have the ability to determine the appropriate analyses to be conducted on any food submitted, and to interpret and report the results in terms of compliance with Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) or the Act. This requires a sound knowledge of the requirements set out in the Code, and the requirements and offences set out in the Act. Information about becoming an authorised analyst is provided in the document: Guide for potential food analysts: How to apply for authorisation as an analyst under the Food Act 1984.
Authorised analysts play an important role in monitoring the safety, composition and truth in labelling of foods. Analyses are conducted to determine compliance with the Act and the Code (information about the Code is provided separately on this site).
Tests may include an assessment of:
- food handling practices
- microbiological safety
- chemical residue levels
- compliance with the mandatory declaration of allergens
- composition, including the accuracy of label statements or claims (for example, nutrition information or ingredient lists)
- a consumer complaint that a food is unsafe or contaminated
Applying to be authorised as an analyst
For information about how to apply for authorisation to be a food analyst, please see the document: Guide for potential food analysts: How to apply for authorisation as an analyst under the Food Act 1984.
Authorised food analysts
| Authorised analyst | Authorisation |
|---|---|
Kashif Ahmed Contact: | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles. |
Riddhi Apte Contact: | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
Karen Bancroft Contact: | Allergen and immunological analysis of food, substances and articles. |
Neil Bartlett Contact: | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
Nadia Brooker Contact: | Allergen and immunological analysis of food, substances and articles. |
Dennis Cheang Contact: | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
Zivka Cholich Contact: | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
Dean Clarke Contact: | Microbiological and allergenic/immunological analyses of food, substances and articles |
Diana Coelho Contact: | Chemical analysis of food, substances and articles. |
Christine Cooke Contact: | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
Anna Du Contact: | Microbiological analysis of food substances and articles. |
Glen Fern Contact: | Chemical, physical, allergen and immunological analyses of food, substances and articles. |
Doreen Fernandez Contact: | Chemical analyses of food, substances and articles and allergen analyses. |
Kanchana Gamage Contact: | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
Navdeep Ghotra Contact: | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
Komal Gosain Contact: | Microbiological analysis of food, substances and articles. |
| Matthew Greacen | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
Allan Gunn Contact: | Chemical, physical, allergen and immunological analysis of food, substances and articles |
Abraham Gut Contact: | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
| Georgia Hamilton | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
| Khalid Haydar Contact: Eurofins khalidhaydar@eurofins.comau | Microbiological analysis of food, substances and articles. |
Selena Heaton Contact: | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
Manpreet Kalsi Contact: | Allergen and immunological analysis of food, substances and articles. |
Lee Kennedy Contact: | Chemical and physical analyses of food, substances and articles |
Karl Kusko Contact: | Chemical, physical, allergen and immunological analyses |
| My-Yen Lam-Menz | Chemical and physical analyses of food, substances and articles |
Tirto Lawira Contact: | Microbiological analysis of food, substances and articles. |
Haiyan Li Contact: | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
Julie Maczuga Contact: | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
Anuradha Mani Contact: | Microbiological analysis of food, substances and articles. |
Joe Matera Contact: | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
Vivienne Matthews Contact: | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
Karolina Mercoulia Contact: | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles. |
| Neil Menz | Chemical, physical and microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
Yumi Owada Contact: | Chemical, physical, allergen and immunological analysis of food, substances and articles |
Daxian (Jay) Pan Contact: | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles. |
Shruti Patel Contact: | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles. |
| Graeme Perret | Chemical, microbiological and physical analyses of food, substances and articles |
| Stefan Pittari | Chemical, physical, allergen and immunological analyses of food, substances and articles |
Mary Ponce Contact: | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles. |
Bina Rajesh Contact: | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
Robert Rantino Contact: | Chemical, physical, allergen and immunological analysis of food, substances and articles. |
Melissa Richardson Contact: | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
Di Shen Contact: | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
| Candida Showler Contact: Agrifood Technology candida.showler@agrifood.com.au | Chemical and physical analysis of food, substances and articles. |
John Speers Contact: | Chemical and physical analysis of food, substances and articles. |
Agnes Tan Contact: | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
| John Ward | Chemical, physical and microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
Phillip Williams Contact: | Chemical, allergen and immunological analysis of food, substances and articles |
Somayeh (Sam) Yazdkhast Contact: | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles. |
Judy Zhang Contact: | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
Reviewed 08 March 2024