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 | Contact details | Authorisation |
|---|---|---|
| Kashif Ahmed | Symbio Laboratories kahmed@symbiolabs.com.au | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles. |
| Riddhi Apte | BVAQ riddhi.apte@bvaq.com | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
| Karen Bancroft | Agrifood Technology karen.bancroft@agrifood.com.au | Allergen and immunological analysis of food, substances and articles. |
| Neil Bartlett | Food Laboratories neil@foodlabs.com.au | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
| Nadia Brooker | BVAQ Nadia.Brooker@bvaq.com | Allergen and immunological analysis of food, substances and articles. |
| Dennis Cheang | BVAQ dennis.cheang@bvaq.com | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
| Zivka Cholich | Chr Hansen Pty Ltd auzich@chr-hansen.com | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
| Dean Clarke | NMI dean.clarke@measurement .gov.au | Microbiological and allergenic/immunological analyses of food, substances and articles |
| Christine Cooke | ALS Environmental christine.cooke@alsglobal .com | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
| Anna Du | BVAQ anna.du@bvaq.com | Microbiological analysis of food substances and articles. |
| Glen Fern | Eurofins Food Testing Aus. glenfern@eurofins.com | Chemical, physical, allergen and immunological analyses of food, substances and articles. |
| Doreen Fernandez | Agrifood Technology Doreen.Fernandez@agrifood. com.au | Chemical analyses of food, substances and articles and allergen analyses. |
| Kanchana Gamage | Eurofins Food Testing Aus. kanchanagamage@eurofins.com | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
| Komal Gosain | Eurofins Food Testing Aus. komalgosain@eurofins.com | Microbiological analysis of food, substances and articles. |
| Matthew Greacen | Agrifoods matthew.greacen@agrifood.com.au | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
| Allan Gunn | BVAQ allan.gunn@bvaq.com | Chemical, physical, allergen and immunological analysis of food, substances and articles |
| Abraham Gut | Microbiological Diagnostic Unit Abraham.gut@unimelb.edu.au | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
| Georgia Hamilton | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles | |
| Selena Heaton | Microbiological Diagnostic Unit sheaton@unimelb.edu.au | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
| Manpreet Kalsi | BVAQ Manpreet.kalsi@bvaqu.com | Allergen and immunological analysis of food, substances and articles. |
| Lee Kennedy | ALS Life Sciences lee.kennedy@ALSGlobal.com | Chemical and physical analyses of food, substances and articles |
| Karl Kusko | ALS Global Karl.Kusko@ALSGlobal.com | Chemical, physical, allergen and immunological analyses |
| My-Yen Lam-Menz | Chemical and physical analyses of food, substances and articles | |
| Julie Maczuga | BVAQ Julie.Maczuga@bvaq.com | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
| Anuradha Mani | BVAQ anuradha.mani@bvaq.com | Microbiological analysis of food, substances and articles. |
| Joe Matera | ALS joe.matera@alsglobal.com | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
| Vivienne Matthews | BVAQ vivienne.matthews@bvaq.com | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
| Karolina Mercoulia | Microbiological Diagnostic Unit dimovski@unimelb.edu.au | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles. |
| Neil Menz | Chemical, physical and microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles | |
| Yumi Owada | BVAQ Yumi.Owada@bvaq.com | Chemical, physical, allergen and immunological analysis of food, substances and articles |
| Daxian (Jay) Pan | BVAQ jay.pan@bvaq.com | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles. |
| Shruti Patel | BVAQ shruthi@bvaq.com | 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 | BVAQ mary.ponce@bvaq.com | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles. |
| Bina Rajesh | BVAQ Bina.Rajesh@bvaq.com | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
| Robert Rantino | Agrifood Technology Robert.Rantino@agrifood.com.au | Chemical and physical analysis of food, substances and articles. |
| Melissa Richardson | BVAQ melissa.richardson@bvaq.com | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
| Agnes Tan | tanagnes7@gmail.com | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
| John Ward | Chemical, physical and microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles | |
| Phillip Williams | Symbio Laboratories philwilliams@symbiolabs.com.au | Chemical, allergen and immunological analysis of food, substances and articles |
| Somayeh (Sam) Yazdkhast | Agrifood Technology Somayeh.yazdkhast@agrifood.com.au | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles. |
| Judy Zhang | BVAQ Judy.Zhang@bvaq.com | Microbiological analyses of food, substances and articles |
Reviewed 09 January 2023