RSC Food Group Committee

Winner: 2020 Inspirational Committee Award

RSC Food Group Committee

For developing the food chemistry periodic table in addition to addressing global challenges through events and publications.

Celebrate RSC Food Group Committee

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To celebrate International Year of the Periodic Table (IYPT), The Food Group Committee developed and published a unique Food Chemistry Periodic Table and has been active in promoting it at external events such as the second Food Chemistry Conference in Seville and at Royal Society of Chemistry outreach events to encourage chemists to consider opportunities in the food industry. The project continues to develop and it is hoped that RSC Education department will support alignment to the school curriculum for wider application in schools. Some teachers have already started to use this new tool in their lessons in the UK and internationally.

The group also organised unique events focusing on global challenges, including on plastics and sustainability and is actively involved in the Total Food conference, which is now an established bi-annual event focused on tackling the challenges in a sustainable food chain.

Important collaborations have been further developed with organisations such as SCI, raising the profile of the RSC and food chemistry.

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The aims of the Food Group are to promote the role of chemistry in food and enable the transfer and sharing of information and networking between academia and the food industry. This includes analytical, biochemical, chemical, physical, nutritional and toxicological aspects of food and food ingredients.

The Food Group Committee is committed to raising the profile of food chemistry in the food industry and academia and supporting early career food chemists via prizes, grants and cost-effective events. Its Junior Medal was resurrected in 2017 and for the last three years some exceptional winners have been announced, supporting their careers and forging stronger links with universities such as Reading and Nottingham.

By organising conferences and providing prizes and bursaries to students, the committee aims to encourage interactions between scientists and technologists engaged in food research and development to help transfer such scientific research from ideas to applications. They are also a source of scientifically driven, impartial information and advice and, through a membership, a source of extensive knowledge and experience.

Q+A

Why do you think it is important to inspire people with chemistry?

There is a critical shortage of chemists, particularly in the food sector, and it is such an important foundation to so many scientific disciplines, offering an excellent base for career development in industry or academia.

What is your favourite element?

“Carbon, as it’s the basis of anything organic and I like the carbonisation of food.” – Robert Cordina, 2020 Chair.

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